More Than the Sum of Our Codes
by Anzu Fan
Summary: Series continuation. The Hunt begins, and Bob and the others are stranded far from Mainframe. A battle is waged for the fate of Mainframe and the Net once again. It would appear that wars are not only of weapons, and Sprites and Viruses might be more similar than a Guardian would like to believe.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: No, I don't own anything I write about. Because if I did, it would actually be happening in the series and I would get money, which would be quite helpful in paying for my college loans and textbooks. Rainmaker Entertainment doesn't seem to have contacted me yet.

Oh goodness, Reboot. I rediscovered it on Netflix – wonderful, beautiful Netflix – and bought the third and fourth seasons and fell in love. I was too young when it first aired to know much of what was going on, but now I'm old enough to recognize a jewel of a series. I'm also old enough to recognize how very much I wish another season would have come.

And then a story attacked me and that's why you are where you are right now. Because this story literally refused to go away and arrived so complete in my head. It took two days for the bulk of it to come together. The characters wouldn't go away.

So now I've got Bob, little Enzo, and Lion-O from ThunderCats in my head telling me to make stories. It's…a little crowded in here.

Notes to look at before reading:

This is a fanmade continuation of the series. It's a fanfic, and it's not based on the comic. I haven't read much of the comic so any reference made is just accidental. I've heard some consider the comic canon and some don't – the writers/artists won a contest and the creators seem to have given it their blessing – but for the sake of this, pretend the comic isn't a factor though I'm sure it's lovely.

Any similarities to other fics are coincidental. Some of the things may have happened in other fics; I really have no idea. I don't tend to read Reboot fanfics, just watch the series. I'm not "copying" off of anyone intentionally. This is also my first – and potentially only – Reboot fanfic.

There will be OCs or FCs. Megabyte won't be the only villain. A lot of things will not be occurring in Mainframe because this takes place right after the fourth season/"My Two Bobs." Spoiler, Megabyte took over and the characters are in deep doo doo. I intend to put them into a different type of doo doo.

I'm not an expert in computers. I'll try to be as creative as the makers of Reboot in making things reference computers, but I'm taking creative license too. I know something about computers but not as much as they know.

For the sake of this story, nanoseconds= minutes, seconds=hours, minutes=days, cycles=years. There is some debate about time in the Reboot world, and this is the best idea I have.

Pairings will generally be canon, although one will be fiddled with. Still…technically canon. That means BobxDot, AndrAIaxEnzo/Matrix, etc. I haven't seen much Reboot fanfiction, only the show and Wikipedia pages for research. So it might be off in some ways. Flames will be met with maniacal laughter and deletion, because I don't have the time to worry about bullies and trolls. To the sensible human beings out there, do keep in mind I've never written Reboot fan fiction, and that everyone's interpretation differs slightly.

* * *

**More Than the Sum of Our Codes**

* * *

**Chapter 1**

** Search and Delete**

Chroma felt a little sick with the tossing of the Web.

One would think, that, after three hundred cycles of doing this, he would have gotten used to the bucking of the Web and its uneasy, mottling colors. Something about it was just disturbing and unsettling every time he entered it. It had only gotten worse as he aged.

He traveled with his boots and gloves activated, pushing him through the Net in spurts and shakes. Some of the newer search engines had things like boats or surfboards…no, he was one of the oldest around, and he was set in his ways. It was in his code.

Of course, he could change that if he wanted to. He was always considering it. But all the same, as a peddler he felt it best to allow his customers the right of altering their design as opposed to himself.

Things were safer that way.

Chroma, as a search engine, had pretty much free reign of the Net and Web as long as systems weren't blocked off by firewalls and other defenses. He liked old, decrepit systems best; they usually didn't guard themselves too well as they were about to crash completely. He found interesting goods and paid low prices for them. Sometimes he just took things, considering they were falling apart and didn't care.

Today he was doing something very interesting, though. Chroma had been infected by Daemon before – who hadn't, really? – and now that he was free to wander the systems again, he was a little curious about what he might find in the wreckage of the systems that had been torn apart by her guardians.

Chroma collected anything of value. But most disturbingly – some called it unethical – he also collected codes.

He was fond of saying, "Just because it's deleted doesn't mean it's gone." So many sprites had the bizarre belief that just because the delete function was used – whether it was a guardian blowing someone's processor off or whatever – a code was gone forever. That was only partly true; nothing was ever completely gone once it was released on the Web.

Sometimes, in the very reaches of the Web or Net, there would be scraps of deleted data, fragmented but never totally devoured. Web creatures sometimes ate them and it was too bad for him when they did. But on some occasions, he could find usable shreds of code, and peddled them to sprites or binomes who wanted them.

Some wanted a better function, to improve their abilities. Some wanted a rewrite of their data to give them different formats entirely.

Sometimes even viral coding was requested. Chroma always provided a disclaimer saying that he had no further control after he sold the viral coding and gave the customer a set of instructions on proper use. He tended to hightail it out of the system in question to avoid accusations. Sometimes he would return and find the same coding, fragmented again from being blown apart by a resident Guardian or attack force, and it was all very well for him.

To have a little of Daemon's coding – just enough to get a bit of her function – would make him the envy of all the peddlers. And he would easily be set for life.

He drifted by a piece of metal in the Web and paused, backing up to look into it. He was a haggard old search engine now; his hair was long and gray, and his beard was stringy. His skin had become granite-colored and tarnished over time – it had once been platinum and lustrous – and he looked like something out of one of those Wizards and Warriors games with his billowing robes packed with vials and packets. Not to mention his pack was starting to fray…he'd need a new one soon, and the stretched Web creature skin that protected it would need replacing as well. Add the mottled, ugly shielding he had to wear in the toxic Web and it was an ancient, nasty image.

He narrowed his yellow eyes and moved on. Perhaps using a little coding on himself for a smoother appearance would not be so bad. It might get rid of some of his aches as well.

"I know there's something out here…my instincts haven't been wrong for the last hundred cycles." Chroma sometimes said things like this to reassure himself. The truth was he was getting old, rundown, and sometimes he doubted whether or not he could still do this. The way he got so tired and distracted, he might pass right over some code and not even notice-

He stopped, looking down and grinning. Sparse bits of green light were hovering in the scraps of metal. It looked as if the metal had been a ship at one time – a metal carrier of some sort – and he figured that the beings on board had probably been in the midst of counting down to their own deletion and probably ran into some kind of foul creature; maybe the Web Riders had been about. They'd been deleted before the benign virus had come through and wiped out Daemon's coding. Only in the web would such codes gleam so bright and maintain their form without downgrading into simple digits and being absorbed by a system. This was why he was the master; he could tell fine code from garbage easier than a liquor aficionado could determine whether an IO shot was sour or sweet.

He lowered himself to examine the soft, swirling lines, slender as hairs. Delicately, he plucked a wriggling, glowing green strand. Chroma then grabbed another, and another, weaving them together. There was no shortage of material to work with as he swam between green strands, and by the end he had a good chunk of code, thick as a small cord and as long as he was tall. It wasn't dangerous in its present format, but write it into another…urgh. He hated to be a part of the system he'd ultimately sell it to. It wouldn't be as powerful as Daemon, but it could be a system crasher depending on the buyer.

That was why he never stuck around. Well, that and he hated it when sprites attempted returns for little things like, "The formatting didn't work! Look what happened to me!" and, "You said this would cure my wife! Now she's fading out!"

All disclaimers applied. Coding sometimes wasn't compatible. No refunds, even if the sprite oozed in as a puddle. It was against all known web laws, but he wasn't the only sprite that traded in code black markets. Just the only one to travel and capture virus codes. It was his, ah, "Contribution to diversity."

He pulled a little glass vial from an inner pocket and put the tip of the green strand into it. It began to coil of its own accord into the glass, and when it had fitted itself into the glass confines the thread rested comfortably at the bottom. "That's a good code." They were usually more volatile than this, lashing out and stinging.

Chroma plugged the cork into the mouth of the vial and tucked it away. Time to get out of here; he heard something in the distance, the rolling of a Web Creature making its way over. They might have been attracted by the coding, looking for food. His gloves and boots flared and he started heading for the nearest address. It was a Desert Port System if he recalled correctly, good for trade and haggling. He'd stop there for a while and see if he could find a buyer. Perhaps he'd have to move to a bigger system to get a good price.

Chroma drifted, quiet and thinking, carrying Daemon's coding next to one other vial. Inside it a dark blue code shivered and shook, wanting to break free. "Hush. You're lucky I managed to put you back together." He tucked a hand against his side, feeling it vibrate. It had been a stunning find, bits of it littering an explosive transmit from a Supercomputer to a little system. He'd found just enough to arrange it into a bit, and it never stopped moving. "Gigabyte, I'm glad I didn't meet you when you were whole. You must have been _nasty_."

* * *

Welman Matrix was well and truly fed up with Megabyte.

It wasn't enough that Megabyte and Hexadecimal's arrival had been a large part of the reason his experiment had been disastrous and so many sprites were Nullified. Nor was it enough that he'd been trapped as Megabyte's mindless pet 'Nibbles' for so many cycles. It also wasn't enough that the virus had attempted to marry his daughter, shattering her confidence and possibly sabotaging her relationship with the sprite she was madly in love with.

That last part was a pretty straw, though.

No, this broke the Null's back; his robot body, the gift that had given him a chance to live a moderately normal life, had been infected and was being used to trap his youngest son so Megabyte could infect him or something worse.

Welman Matrix had been a gentle sprite. But this was the end of his long, slow-burning fuse, and his null body was as tight as a fat bubble ready to blow.

He didn't say anything, staring down at Enzo. In a way he was fiercely proud; even now Enzo was fighting, trying to break the robot's grip. The hands just wouldn't loosen, no matter how much Welman tried to unclench them. Enzo tried to fit his fingers under the robot's palm's to prize them off, but the metal didn't budge. "Enzo," he murmured.

Looking up, Enzo's lips were pale. He had them tucked between his teeth, biting down in concentration. "Dad…we've got to get out of here."

"I know." The blue and gold metal tightened around Enzo's shoulders – the soft skin gave under the curled joints, crushed against his shoulders, and Welman saw him flinch. His hatred for Megabyte increased. "This body…I can't control it. You have to get loose on your own."

Megabyte was prowling the War Room, inspecting it and the binomes. All of them stood dully, listless as their pupils followed him. One of them was drooling. "Let me see…Bob and Matrix will not be far from the cell, and I think I hear-"

Something scratched at the metal door, and a feral scream echoed. "Megabyte! Don't you dare hurt that li'l sprite!"

"Yes, Mouse is back. And AndrAIa…I have all of you on hand it would seem. That's a little boring."

Megabyte moved as if he were oiled, an unnatural fusion of life and machine. There were places where the blue metal morphed into flawed flesh and veins throbbed under it. His gums were visible when the thin lips pulled back over his sharp teeth. "Well, what is it to be, Little Enzo? Shall I make you like the others, or will you give up your PID like a good boy?" Megabyte idly pinched a lock of Enzo's hair between two fingers, shredding it with his nails.

Enzo's mouth set. "'M _not _Little Enzo. I'm Enzo Matrix, a Guardian. And I'll never join you, Mega-butt."

Megabyte snorted. "An insolent copy of a brat to the end. Very well…"

His claws extended, tips almost touching Enzo's forehead. "Welman, if you've anything to say to your boy, you'd best do it now. I don't think he'll be able to respond when I'm finished."

Welman had been thinking this whole time and had formulated something of a plan. He turned his Null head toward his child, the little body stiff. "Son, I am proud of you. You are a Guardian now. Use that."

A flicker of understanding passed Enzo's eyes and he smiled, reaching for his icon.

At the same time Welman pulled his Null body out of the sensors, slithering completely into the glass head of his body like a pet into a rolling ball. The robot buckled, unable to operate without a mind to run its internal system. Enzo clothes shifted into the Guardian uniform and the robot lost its grip on the suddenly slick fabric, and he jumped clear of it. Megabyte's tendril plunged into the metal again, missing his target and cleaving the chest in two. Megabyte snarled and threw the robot, shattering the glass head and sending Welman flying, plopping against the wall. "Dad!"

Welman shook his head and scurried up the wall, Megabyte pursuing him. "Come back, 'Father'! Come back so I can crush you!"

Welman kept slithering, everything a rush of colors and rough textures. Enzo was free but the doors were still shut, and he didn't know if he could keep Megabyte distracted long enough for Mouse or AndrAIa to break through the War Room doors. Megabyte stabbed his claws into the screen just a hair below him, making him jump when the surface under him cracked and he plopped onto the floor again. "Dad!" Enzo screamed again. Welman felt the ground vibrate with his approach and more glass rained down on him.

Megabyte turned to Enzo, eyes narrowing, and Enzo slid on his heels to stop. Welman took the chance to slither up Megabyte's leg, up his side and onto his back into the wiring connecting the back of his head to his neck. The virus roared, reaching for him as he wiggled in and out from between them.

As squirmy and small as he was, Welman could escape the thick, clawing fingers and spotted Enzo kneeling at Phong's side, trying to make him get up. The old sprite flinched a couple of times but didn't open his eyes.

Welman flung himself off of Megabyte and scrambled across the floor again, Megabyte's feet banging on the metal after him.

_Matrix, Dot…someone get in here and save Enzo!_

* * *

Mouse cursed ever letting the binomes increase the triple-pixel security thickness of the doors. She could hear shattering and crashing inside, and the occasional squeal of a Null or an angry yell from Enzo. Megabyte roared once and she shivered, baring her teeth. "Megabyte! Open this door and fight! Coward!"

Her boot connected with the door three times. She swore, hating herself and AndrAIa for ever fleeing without making sure Enzo was right behind them. A small dent and very sore toes were her only rewards. Megabyte had no scruples; he'd delete Enzo if he got a proper chance. "AndrAIa! Help me break down this door-"

She turned around and hissed. AndrAIa was nowhere to be seen and the corridors were all deathly quiet. In disbelief Mouse's eyes flicked from corridor to corridor, expecting virals to come charging at her. If Megabyte had been Frisket since before the trap, he couldn't have infected many more people, could he? His numbers had increased, but they'd locked so many of them up…so what could have happened to AndrAIa?

A loud bark made her hand go to her blade. AndrAIa had returned with Frisket's collar clutched between her fingers, and the hound was baying for his little master. He lunged against her grip, red and gold body straining. "Stand aside Mouse. This dog's been shut up in a cell for a few seconds and he's _mad_." AndrAIa let go of his collar and Frisket bounded toward the door, crashing into it. It buckled inward, crumpling under his tackle. He snarled, shook himself off and continued attacking, batting it with his head and paws. Very little had ever stood between Frisket and Enzo for more than a nano, and this door wasn't going to break the record if the dents meant anything.

"Frisket! Come on, boy, I hear you!" Enzo's yelling only increased Frisket's barking and hammering, and with a final smash, the doors broke and their twisted remains fell to the floor. Frisket yipped and kicked it out of the way to reach his maser, licking him furiously. Mouse took in the sight of Phong prone on the ground and then saw a tiny Null slithering around Megabyte's feet and she got down low. Megabyte was trying to step on it in the very middle of the room, and glass had fallen around him from about eight different monitors. Several binomes just stood around, watching without interest; their eyes were red and their faces wan.

"AndrAIa, you get Frisket and Enzo outta here. I'll carry Phong. Welman'll have to make a break for it when he can," she murmured. AndrAIa nodded, prowling over and shushing Enzo and the dog as she led them out the door.

"But Dad-!" Enzo began.

"I know. Megabyte can't hurt him though. Only Hex could really do anything to Nulls," AndrAIa said gently. Enzo held tight to her hand and Frisket snarled over his shoulder as she dragged at his collar. Mouse followed them in silence, Phone carried with some difficulty over one shoulder. His head and arms lolled and Frisket whined as they slipped further down the hall.

"Hack and Slash grabbed Dot, so she'll be okay," AndrAIa said, noticing Enzo's frightened eyes darting down each corridor. They'd shifted into a jog and she listened intently as the sounds from the War Room changed.

"How did Megabyte replace Frisket?" Enzo looked indignant, rubbing Frisket's back nervously. The dog responded with a droopy-eared, happy pant. "Frisket was always with me since we saw him get away the first time."

"Maybe Megabyte slipped off to use the bathroom," Mouse grunted. "And Megabyte knocked him out and copied his shape. How'd you find him AndrAIa?"

She smiled and pursed her lips, letting out a shrill whistle. The dog whined nearly as high. "Frisket was waking up and I heard him yipping in one of the cells. Megabyte's been waiting to spring this on us."

"It's cleverer than his old tricks," Mouse said. "We need to come up with a plan and get out of here, once we find Dot and the boys-"

"Enzo!" Dot had spotted them and Hack and Slash released her, peering around either side of her fearfully as she ran to meet them. "Oh thank goodness!" She fell to her knees, touching his face and looking through his hair as if expecting to see viral symptoms. Dot kissed his nose and Enzo wrinkled his face, wiping the spot.

"Dot," he whined, "I'm okay. Dad and Mouse and AndrAIa and Frisket were there." He looked back pleadingly. "Dad's still back there. We gotta get Bob and go get Dad! We've lost him so many times already…"

AndrAIa's put a hand to her ear. "He's broken away from Megabyte. There's no telling where he is now. Megabyte isn't wrecking the room now."

"He might be heading to the Core Room then." AndrAIa whirled around, trident leveled, but she faltered when she saw Bob and Matrix heading toward them. Matrix had spoken, and both looked out of breath. "Relax, we've been with each other since we saw the alias. Neither of us is Megabyte." His good eye looked over her, Dot and Enzo, settling on Phong. The lines on his face darkened when he saw the smoking holes in Phong's front.

The clanging of something being thrown around made them all turn their heads. Matrix took Phong from Mouse, cradling the awkward body carefully. "What do we do? He could take over any of us with that new power of his."

"He can't get into the Core Room without Phong's information," Dot said, brushing her fingers over Phone's still forehead. "So unless those tendrils let him suck out memory, he can't get in to reach the Core or the Gateway. Phong's never been susceptible to any virus except Daemon, so…"

"Besides, you heard what he said," Bob murmured. "He wants to follow a virus' format; he wants to destroy everything now instead of remaking the city. Maybe he'll just try to delete everything, including himself. There's no telling what he'll do now." He held his forehead in his palm for a moment. "I can't believe it, but I miss the old, egotistical, power-hungry, predictable Megabyte. This…doesn't make sense."

"At least you could count on what he'd do," Dot said. Hack and Slash were still cowering on either side of Enzo, and Frisket whined, nudging Enzo's middle. "We need to get out of here and warn the citizens of Mainframe to keep clear of the Principal Office. We need a new plan."

The squealing of a Null crawling across the floor made Enzo's face light up. He ducked down, peering between everyone's feet. "Dad! You got away!"

Welman drew up short. "Don't. I'll drain your energy." Enzo put his hand as close as he could to the squishy membrane and Welman lifted his…well, whatever the Null version of a head was. Mouse eyed him; could Megabyte impersonate a Null? The sound of something clanging and Megabyte snarling in the distance did away with this fear. "He didn't see where I went. I think he'll be trying to infect as many sprites as he can to catch us."

"The hunt," Mouse said, stretching her arm. Phong was hard to carry.

"Hey, we can worry about that when we're out of here!" Hack picked up Enzo. "I don't wanna have to deal with the boss when he's mad!"

Enzo scowled. "Put me down! I can run for myself!"

"Not as fast as we'll be running," Slash said. Matrix bristled.

"Run from a virus? We handled the alias pretty well."

"It was just that; an alias. It wasn't the real Megabyte. Dot's right, we need to make a plan and figure out what we're gonna do about the sprites Megabyte's already infected," Bob said. He put his hand over Glitch instinctively. "This isn't a normal infection. It's worse. He doesn't care if they do his bidding or give up their PIDs. He's just as happy controlling their minds and turning them into drones."

"Sounds like another virus we've dealt with," Mouse muttered. Matrix hesitated; Daemon had enslaved them easily, and if Enzo hadn't snapped him out of the infection…

"Fine. We'll go and make another plan. Maybe we can blow our way through an exit." He put Gun away and Hack and Slash needed no further encouragement; they took off, toting Enzo with Frisket right behind them. Mouse cast one look back as they followed, trying not to feel like a coward as the hairs on the back of her neck rose.

* * *

"Cursors."

Megabyte had broken most of the screens in his rampage, which had been quite satisfying. He'd never actually tried to do as much damage as he could to Mainframe, seeing as how he'd wanted to conform it to his image instead of just smashing everything. It was a marvelous way of releasing stress.

This was a problem because it made it impossible to know if he'd crushed Welman or not. Nulls could be hurt but not destroyed by such means, but he wasn't sure if the Null might be squashed under some glass under his feet. He'd liked 'Nibbles' as a pet; he was an unbreakable toy that he could abuse however he liked.

It didn't matter. He abandoned his search, knocking aside one of the infected binomes and opening a vid window. "Herr Doktor."

The binome was lounging miserably in a cell with Bunnyfoot, visible through the wavering wall. His cohort was busy binding his fingers with bandages. At the appearance of the vid window he leapt to his feet and cowered, knocking Bunnyfoot over. "Mein Fuhrer...I thought you were captured with the rest of us!"

"A mistake I meant everyone to make. I'm opening the cells holding you and my forces. Start bringing me sprites to infect, and keep an eye out for Dot and Bob. They might be anywhere in the building with their cohorts. I'm opening one exit…_do _try to make sure they don't all escape," he added softly. "Send out my forces. I intend to eradicate anyone that doesn't surrender their PIDs."

The wall fell and Herr nodded, bowing repeatedly and nursing his digits. Megabyte turned off the vid without any further instructions and examined the binomes before him.

"They may escape or they may not. I promised them a hunt, and I'll give them a hunt. As wily as they've proven to be, I'm sure one or two will get out and provide me with some amusement."

He looked down at the nearest binome and clutched his head in his hand, lifting him from the ground. It didn't move, dangling from his grip. "It's been a while since I deleted anything. I hope I haven't lost my touch."

He closed his fist. It sounded like a box being crushed under a foot. The binome flickered and vanished, and Megabyte noticed with interest that some of the energy entered his system, little flashes of light sliding into his palm. It was refreshing after chasing Welman around. He'd never absorbed a deleted binome's energy before. Perhaps being a Trojan Horse Virus had other perks.

"Interesting." There were several other binomes in the room, all equally silent. He eyed the nearest one and began to grin.

Something rattled in the corner and he looked up. "Well well…hello Michael." The television squeaked and curled up tighter, as if he thought he'd become invisible if he scrunched up a little more.

* * *

"This is bad."

AndrAIa peered around the corner and pulled back in time to hear, "Very bad?" from both Bob and Dot. They exchanged an embarrassed look but AndrAIa found it a little comforting, gesturing for everyone to back away a few paces. "Megabyte's binomes are moving. He must have unlocked their cells and a few doors."

"Where do you think they're headed?" Mouse asked. AndrAIa listened as the binomes rushed down the hall, little feet clicking.

"I don't know. Maybe he issued orders." Slyly, she crept out and moved to the next hall, never losing sight of the tiny squad. A few ones, a couple of zeroes…and Herr Doktor, bandaged fingers and all. The others followed her and she couldn't help but think this would look funny if the circumstances weren't so dire; six sprites, a dog, two robots and a Null all skulking along the walls in silence. Welman was having a little issue keeping up, so Slash plucked him from the ground, petting him nervously.

"Do you mind not doing that? I'm not Nibbles anymore."

"I know. But it makes me feel better." Slash's voice quivered and Welman made a noise of defeat.

It took about ten minutes to discover where the binomes were headed; the main entrance to the Principal Office had opened, and on either side of it stood several virals, looking around warily. The warm-colored walls felt like a prison here, and AndrAIa looked back at the others seriously. "Well? Do we chance it?"

"Megabyte's probably expecting us to," Dot said. She had taken out her glasses and put them on, examining the group from their safe, hidden vantage point. Force of habit, probably. "We could probably take that many, but I'll bet he's sent for reinforcements."

"Or he might be one of them in disguise." Enzo's somber observation made everyone tense.

"I doubt it, but there's just no way to know," Matrix said in disgust. His cybernetic eye rolled and glowed red. "Hiding here won't get us out. Maybe if we try now he won't be expecting us."

Dot looked at him and then at Enzo. "It's risky. If only we could…"

She paused. Then she snapped her fingers. "Hack, Slash, I'm going to need your help. Do exactly what I tell you to."

* * *

"'Scuse us, coming through. Boss's main bots."

Herr Doktor scowled; two very familiar robots were rolling toward them, and the others had already raised their guns. "Whoa, hey, what's the big idea? Are you guys in a mutiny against the boss or somethin'?" Slash demanded. The binomes blinked but didn't put down their weapons.

"Yeah, he told us to tell you guys to report directly to him; Dot and those others are all running around, and he wants you guys to find them." Hack crossed his arms and wagged a finger at them. "He'll be very, very mad when he finds out you're slacking."

"Slacking!" Herr drew himself up to his full height. "Mein Fuhrer has instructed us to guard this exit as his forces bring in more binomes! And who do you think you are? You've joined Dot and the others!"

"Well _duh_. Phong had programmed us to work for Dot. Now that the boss is back, we're as evil as ever 'cause he fixed our programming when he broke into the War Room. And we're supposed to guard the exit for you guys while you find that stupid Guardian and the others." Hack said this and threw his arms up. "Of course, if you don't believe the _boss_, well…"

Slash shook his head and the other binomes had started lowering their weapons nervously. "Oh boy, I remember what he used to do when someone made him mad. Do you think he'll just save time and delete 'em on the spot or will he drop them off the edge of Mainframe?"

"Guess it depends on how bad of a mood he's in. I'm glad I don't have to report back to him." Hack and Slash began wheeling away, chatting amongst themselves. Herr stared after them, unsure of whether he believed them or not.

"Why would Mein Fuhrer send you two instead of communicating with me personally? He sent a vid window before," he called.

Hack looked at him over his shoulder. "Hey, it's your deletion. You want the boss to waste more valuable time by telling you every little plan he's got cooking in his brilliant processor, that's on you, not us."

Herr Doktor paled. "Well…that is…"

Two of the binomes had already bolted. Ten remained and several of them started inching down hall to look for the Guardian and company. Herr realized he would be quite alone if he remained – Bunnyfoot was stumping along with the lot of the cowards – and took off. "All right, all right! Wait for me!"

Hack and Slash stared after them in disbelief. "I can't believe that worked!" Hack exclaimed.

"Dot's so smart. Now we can get out of here," Slash said, clapping.

"At least Megabyte's lackeys are still the same as ever," Dot said, coming into view briskly. Everyone else followed a little more cautiously in disbelief. "Great work you guys. We need to move before Megabyte realizes we're all out."

Slash picked up Welman again, keeping him out from underfoot. "Where will we go? The diner is too obvious," AndrAIa said.

"_Any_ of the places we stay are too obvious." Bob squinted in the sudden light from the exit. The Entrance Room was still set up for the wedding, if wrecked and vandalized. Dot couldn't seem to look at it, and he put a hand on her shoulder. The battered chairs and ruined decorations felt a little better for him; it had meant she wasn't married to Megabyte. To her, though, it had been her dream broken to pieces. "Can you think of a place to go that he wouldn't immediately think of?"

She covered her face, and it took her a minute to reply. "Al's is out of the question, virals congregate there all the time…your apartment is too obvious…"

"Oh! Oh!" Enzo's face lit up as he ran to the front of the group, bounding down the stairs toward the bridge. "I know where we can go! Megabyte will be too busy to think to look _there_!"

* * *

"In what random processor could anyone think this was a good idea? It's bad enough when you come here and mess up everything; now you've brought all these other sprites to muck up my dump?"

Enzo beamed at Old Man Pearson. "Thanks, I knew you'd let us hide here for a little bit. I would have picked the Circuit Racing courses, but this just seemed more secret-y."

The old binome straightened his overalls and shoved aside a few pieces of scrap. "I never said that you could stay. But…only because I hate viruses so much. Make sure your dog doesn't eat anything!"

Frisket stuck his tongue out. "I think he learned his lesson about eating unknown items," Matrix said, remembering the UNFORMAT command a little too well. He rubbed Frisket's ears and looked around at the dim room and the garbage littering it. "This place always looks the same."

"That's a miracle, considering how many nomes come rooting through here to steal used data," Old Man Pearson grunted, sitting on his dingy gray workbench. "Don't you be getting any ideas, hacker," he added sharply when Mouse looked a little too interested in a piece or two. She smirked at him and winked, and he grunted, crossing his arms to the fey flutter of her eyelashes.

"It seems a little strange that one of the best places to hide from Megabyte is in Ghetty Prime," AndrAIa murmured. It was cramped with all of them stuck in Pearson's little home workshop, and Matrix stood beside her as she huddled on a little stool. Dot had found a place on an upending crate and Mouse was too busy examining their surroundings to sit down. AndrAIa gestured for Enzo to sit down with Dot and he obeyed, smacking the bulb hanging from the ceiling. Matrix grunted and stopped it, eye following it. "I just can't believe that he's in the Principal Office. _Again_."

The weight of this statement fell after a moment, and all of them remembered the misery of Megabyte's rule. Megaframe had been a dead city, and that was when Megabyte wasn't bent purely on wanton destruction. Now that he was, he might crash the whole city without a second thought, just to know he'd be taking them down with it.

Matrix buried his fingers in his hair, tugging at it. "I should've deleted him when I had the chance," he said bluntly. "I had him right where I wanted him. He couldn't fight anymore. I should've just-"

AndraAIa wrapped one arm around his waist and rested her head against his side. He shut up with some difficulty. "You did the merciful thing. Nobody could have predicted he would have come out of the Web alive."

"Bob did. We did." He rubbed her shoulder, her hair feeling soft over it. She didn't reply to that except in the way she sighed. Matrix left the thought alone; there were more important things to worry about. "This time we need to finish him for good."

"Megabyte has grown more powerful. That…hurt a lot." Everyone straightened when Phong's wispy voice sounded. He lifted his head, noticing that he was being held by Hack. "Hello. Where are we?"

"My data dump." Phong looked over to Pearson and waved.

"Ah, Talon…that is, Pearson. Forgive me, I'm a little mixed up." The marks on his front were singed and he poked one of them. "That was a doozy. Welman, my friend, where is your Null Bot?"

"Under Megabyte's control. I had to vacate it and leave it to him. I'm sorry; it was a wonderful piece." Welman's Null head lowered and Phong waved a hand.

"It is not your fault. I understand." He tapped Hack's arm until the robot set him down gently, and then he looked around. "Where is Mike? He was in the War Room when Megabyte revealed himself."

Bob slapped a palm to his head. "Oh man, Mike! We'd let him out of the cell! He must still be back there!"

In spite of his annoying nature, Mike had helped them before and he never really meant any harm. Phong lowered his head and put the tips of his fingers together. "Perhaps we will find a way of freeing them all. We have to try to think of a new way to capture Megabyte. The real one this time." He looked at Dot in hesitant expectation. "I don't suppose you've another plan, my child?"

Dot's middle index knuckle rested between her teeth. "…I don't have anything right now. I mean, look what's happened. We don't have the Principal Office or our forces, and Megabyte will be infecting as we speak. How are we supposed to warn the citizens?"

"I get the feeling they already know Megabyte's got the upper hand. He announced it all over Mainframe," Bob said without a hint of sarcasm. Dot blushed.

"Oh…right. I'm sorry, I just…everything's so confusing now. Just a couple nanos ago we were happy, thinking we'd won. And now we're hiding from Megabyte while he takes over our friends in a rundown dump. No offense, Pearson."

He shrugged. "It is what it is."

"At least he can't reach the Gateway," Mouse said. This seemed to perk Dot up. "He'd need Phong to get in the Core Chamber. And we've got our Guardians." She gestured to Bob, Enzo and Matrix. Enzo puffed out his chest proudly. "I think it'd be best to see what Megabyte's next move will be. Until we see what he's wanting to do, we should try to pick off his viral forces before they can bring in civilians. There are enough of us to manage that, surely."

"And if we make him mad," Dot continued slowly, "he might decide to come out and deal with things himself. Which would give us a chance to bring him down. If he'd fallen for our trap it would have been perfect; Megabyte's not patient enough to keep sending out aliases. Eventually he'll get fed up with us thwarting his plans. We can mobilize every binome in Mainframe against him. He can't infect them all if we cut him off now."

She glanced up at Bob. "What do you think?"

He seemed surprised by this. "You're the go-to person for plans."

Sheepishly she lowered her gaze. "I haven't been making the best decisions lately. I'd like your opinion."

"Oh." Bob rubbed the back of his neck, looking a little embarrassed. "Well, the plan sounds good to me. We're limited on what we can do, but if we can ruin enough of Megabyte's plans he should get frustrated. And anything's better than hiding all the time. If we can count on Pearson over here to help us hide out on occasion," he added, shooting him a hopeful smile.

The old sprite grunted. "I've got a few friends that might be willing to provide a hiding place or two." AndrAIa got up to give him a peck on the forehead in thanks and he sputtered and coughed in protest, face turning red.

"I'm with Bob and Dot," Matrix said. He cracked his knuckles. "Let's get started."

* * *

As it turned out over the next few minutes, this was a courageous yet doomed endeavor.

Megabyte's forces were small, but they increased in number one by one. Bob led one team and Matrix the other, Dot alternating between the groups or remained behind to command from above. Megabyte would bring in groups of binome civilians to infect them, and then he'd send them out in something like parades, plopped on the backs of ABCs like stuffed dolls. Bob and Matrix, with Dot's instruction, broke up ten raids on civilians and drove the virals back. Still, some sensed the power Megabyte had, and knew his control would spread.

A few surrendered their PIDs and the sting operations grew more difficult as the viral force increased. And with Bob and the others constantly fighting, they grew tired and only barely escaped with their codes on some occasions. The binomes fought as well, but there were at least three times when groups of them – about thirty apiece – were taken in the Principal Office and came out dull and senseless.

Matrix lost it completely when a baby binome was carried out by a viral, too infected to even suck on its pacifier. It dropped its doll on the street, and from his vantage point on the roof of a low building, watching the procession as the nomes were led to a part of Ghetty Prime to work, he saw that the doll was green with a Guardian uniform.

He returned to the dump with the baby in one arm and Gun warm in its holster. AndrAIa took the infant and no one was foolish enough to ask what had happened. It was the last time Matrix was sent on a recon mission alone.

It was entirely possible that Megabyte knew where they were but didn't want to kill his fun just yet. They were blocking his progress through the city by picking off his forces but it wasn't slowing him enough. Everything seemed to amuse the virus now; he would appear on city-wide vid windows and say something often. True to his word, they weren't silky rants about himself, only reports on how many were infected and notable binomes that had either joined him or fallen under his infection. Fax Modem appeared on the screen one day, sickly-looking and completely vacant of his bizarre personality. Bob's fists grew tight and Phong only shook his head, murmuring for the User to have mercy on them.

Once he showed a clip of Herr Doktor and several others being thrown around, beaten nearly to pieces by his other troops. "This is what happens when you don't follow orders. I am merciful, so I won't delete them after this lesson. It is tame compared to the possibilities."

"The binomes he infects are going to factories to produce ABC units and weapons. He uses shock collars to make them move," Mouse said in disgust. She was covered in grease and dirty, having used to it to camouflage herself and her bright orange hair in particular. "He calls it 'stimulation.'"

"He did that to Hexidecimal before." Matrix was watching AndrAIa, who was gently bouncing the infected binome baby up and down on her knee, humming to it. It didn't react, even when she got up to change it. "He's always been sick."

It was ironic in a way. Megabyte's old area, Ghetty Prime, had become something of a sanctuary now. Megabyte's sympathizers were flocking to the Principal Office and those trying to escape him tended to flee toward the former place of the old Tor tower, knowing he wouldn't be amongst the ruins. The place they had hated most had become sanctuary.

No matter how many viral teams they took out and binomes they rescued, they never saw hide or pixel of Megabyte. He seemed content to remain in the Principal Office, whiling away his time infecting the system and watching havoc unfold. And not being able to get at their enemy was worse than anything.

* * *

Dot stepped between two zero binomes to reach the other side of the room. "Excuse me, sorry." They both saluted her and she smiled, watching for more binomes as she maneuvered around scrap metal and data. Old Man Pearson was throwing a miniature hissy fit and AndrAI and Phong were trying to calm him down. AndrAIa had the added burden of the binome infant on one hip. They'd found a family that was considering taking care of it until they cured the parents – whoever they were – but AndrAIa, gentle-hearted as she was, had been its caretaker for the past few minutes. It didn't cry in the night or when it went to the bathroom, but this was dangerous; she checked it every second to make sure it didn't need a change and she fed it at regular intervals. It was a scary discovery to make, but infected binomes did not eat or drink or tend themselves independently at all. They had to be pushed to do anything, and if they weren't they could run out of energy and simply delete.

Dot had seen it happen once. Enzo had not been present, thank the User.

"I refuse! It is already too crowded here, and you want me to take in _another _binome family?"

"Just a couple that can take care of the baby." AndrAIa looked at it in concern, holding its head up from lolling. It tended to do that, and feeding it was a chore; she had to spoon liquid energy into its mouth and down its throat before the mechanics of swallowing would kick in. "They won't take care of him unless we agree to protect them. The viral forces would go after them if they saw the baby and they want extra protection-"

Pearson got up and marched between the sprites. "Dot Matrix, I refuse to house any others. This has gone far enough!"

He put out a hand and gestured to the beings already occupying the room. There were at least six binomes, one of whom was being examined by Mouse and another that was being tended by Bob. Some of them were sitting on beat-up blankets and cots and others had made themselves at home in boxes lined with clothes. "I've got people sleeping in the garbage outside, I've got them taking up room in here-!"

"Where are they supposed to go?" AndrAIa demanded softly. She shifted her weight, managing to look formidable even toting an infant. "We're trying to set up safe havens nearby, but virals are searching everywhere. They know that we have a stronghold here, so they're at least afraid to attack, and Megabyte's busy doing whatever he does! We need a little more time to expand our borders."

"But this is too much! They're sprawled on the floor already and you want to bring in more?" Old Man Pearson's eye was bloodshot and his temper near the surface. "I'm sorry. They're binomes and I feel for them, but this is going to end up hurting them more than helping."

"Mr. Pearson, I understand." Dot's processor was pounding and argument was making it worse. She took a breath and said calmly, "Mouse, have you finished constructing a new firewall?"

"It's a little thing, but it should provide some coverage." Mouse gave the binome the all clear with a wave of her hand. It got up contentedly and headed out the door, limping. "Give me a couple of seconds and I might be able to activate it."

"Once we get the firewall up, we should be able to set up a larger base. It won't be as strong as the Principal Office would be, but…"

Pearson warily examined her face, single eye narrowing. "You're not just telling me that to placate me, are you?"

Dot looked wounded. "Mr. Pearson, I don't lie to our allies. I know you're frustrated, but we need a little more time. I'm just glad Megabyte can't control everything about the Principal Office or he might have started blowing up whole sectors of the city."

A few of the binomes shivered and Bob cleared his throat. Dot shook her head. "That's not important though. What's important is that Mouse has been using the data and supplies here to make a sort of defense."

"Yes." Phong's soothing voice eased even her nerves. "We have increased our security, if just a little. We have stopped Megabyte before and we will stop him again." He was bandaged around the middle where the tendrils had stabbed him, but he had become Mouse's assistant for the most part when he wasn't trying to keep an eye on Enzo. It was encouraging to see an old, injured sprite doing so much.

Dot pushed her bangs back, smoothing her hair. It was a stringy mess after spending so many minutes in a dump. "We only need a couple more binomes here to help take care of the baby. AndrAIa is needed in the field."

Pearson grunted. "Why can't any of them take care of it?" He nodded toward a group of ones and zeroes. Dot raised an eyebrow; they were all injured, and one was missing an eye. None of them was in any condition to care for a child. "Oh, fine. But no more after that! I can't turn around without walking into another nome…"

He stumped out the door into the dump, hollering at a couple of children that were playing around something he deemed unsafe. Dot sighed and sat down right on the floor. "Thank you for looking after the baby so long AndrAIa."

She heard soft footsteps and knew by the sleeve around her shoulders that it was Bob. AndrAIa was still cradling the baby. "No problem." Her lips curved and she suddenly looked mischievous. "I've been teasing Matrix about being a softie lately. I asked him to bring back some more liquid energy to feed it, and he actually went out and found some. Enzo went with him and apparently asked about where little sprites and nomes come from."

Dot looked up at her, blinked, and started to laugh. The idea of Matrix's reaction to such a question was just too hilarious not to snort at in any circumstance. Bob grinned and tightened his warm arm around her. It felt so good that it burned. "What did he say?"

"Enzo came back and told me that Matrix was mad at him for asking questions, and said he should ask Bob or Dot about it." AndrAIa's nose crinkled as she tried not to laugh. "He was grumpy all evening. But he held the baby for me. He acts like he's afraid of it."

Her smile faded as she looked at the little thing, half-asleep as it leaned on her chest. "…What's the sense in this?" she asked. Bob's smile slipped away too and Dot just hid her face against his shoulder as she listened, temples pounding. "Why infect a baby? It's too little to give up its PID so it's just another thing to destroy?" She stroked its head and held it tightly, lowering her head over it. Her hair was tangled after being untended for so long. "We have to figure out a cure."

Phong had said nothing, merely listening. At this he put a finger on the baby's head. "I do not know when, but I believe we will find a cure. Perhaps Megabyte's destruction will allow us to clean them of the infection. Until then we can only care for the victims. And I believe that, deep down, the child knows you are trying to help AndrAIa." He lowered his head and brushed her bangs – a little rumpled and untidy – out of her face, tucking them behind her ear. "You have a kind code, my child. It does more good than you know."

He looked at Dot. "As do your plans. This dark time is taking our strength and hope, but we mustn't succumb. As long as we keep trying, we will find a way."

Bob folded one hand over Dot's processor and the warm pressure felt nice, easing her ache more than Phong's well-meaning words. It didn't occur to her how Bob seemed to know where she hurt without being told. "I don't believe in the no-win scenario either. We'll make it. We always have."

Dot looked at him and met his eyes. He wasn't just saying it; Bob believed that. She bit her lip and said, "Bob, I need to talk to you. About…about what happened with the other Bob…I…"

"Megabyte's on the vid window." Matrix's boots were loud and Enzo's sneakers clattered after him along with Frisket's paws. "He says it's a message for those who oppose him." Matrix's face was dark, lip curled. "It's been on repeat for a few nanoseconds now."

Dot groaned. Bob lifted his hand and planted his chin in it, sitting beside Dot on the floor. "Great. Just when we were starting to feel better."

The screen opened and Megabyte's cold, calculating face looked sickeningly out of place in the War Room. "Greetings, enemies. I have it on good authority that you are alive and have been scrambling to prevent my plans from unfolding. While I enjoy the diversion you provide, I hope that this isn't your a-game, because it's not quite up to standard."

"ASCII," Dot said tiredly. Enzo shifted uncomfortably at the curse. Everyone gathered around the screen silently in morbid curiosity. Dot heard the sound of her father wriggling along the ground and the whirr of Hack and Slash approaching. Welman had taken to crawling around the dump and looking for useful odds and ends, and the robots had been looking after him for her. Now they quivered in front of the screen on either side of the Null, bathed in the light.

"Before I deliver my message, I would like to say something to my former minions Hack and Slash." Both robots jumped and Slash made a little whimpering noise. "That was a very nasty trick you pulled on Herr Doktor and the others. Almost impressive. I assume Dot's mind was the one behind it. I wanted to inform you that when I catch you – and Herr Doktor's hands heal from my punishment for being so easily fooled – I will allow him the pleasure of dismantling you and melting down your metal into gauntlets for finger protection while your heads watch."

He said this evenly and with a debonair disinterest. Hack picked up Welman and whispered, "Hold me." Slash tried to take Welman instead for comfort, and they ended up both squeezing him. The Null squirmed until they loosened their fingers a little and he wasn't being crushed.

"At any rate, I have decided that a face-to-face interaction would be suitable to alleviate my present boredom. I would like to do battle with one of your number, whomever you choose. No one else shall interfere from either party. Does this sound agreeable?"

Megabyte paused, seating himself in a high-backed chair made out of broken pieces of control panels and jagged glass from screens of the War Room. It was a spiteful reminder of the destruction he'd caused. He crossed his legs neatly. "It's obviously a trap," Mouse said. Everyone murmured in agreement; this was nothing like Megabyte. He was usually so clever and watched the battle from a distance. "He's just making fun of us."

"Oh, by the way…if any of you seem to think this is an opportunity worth skipping, I'm afraid I have another that will ask on my behalf." He opened his hand and the screen roved downward.

"Th-this just in…I'm being held prisoner…facing imminent deletion…and I want my Motherboard." The cowering figure was sitting in the middle of the room at Megabyte's feet. The screen of his face was cracked and his metal was tarnished, but none of them needed a second glance to know who it was.

"Mike!"

The television set shivered as Megabyte patted his head. He had no shackles on, but considering the monster looming over him they would have been overkill. "Not to worry. If, in the next second, one of your number will come out to entertain me, I will show mercy to this insufferable cretin. If not, well, you know what they say; there's nothing good on the television anymore." His claws lengthened, looming over Mike. The message couldn't be mistaken. Mike put his head between his knees, curled up tightly when Megabyte stood up. "Meet me at Dot's Diner. Or witness a public deletion."

The vid window picked up at the beginning of the message, and everyone looked to Bob. "You or me?" Matrix asked.

"Don't count me out," Mouse said hotly. She tapped her icon and her white shirt morphed into brass-colored armor. "I'd like to cut him to pieces myself."

Frisket barked once. Enzo hugged his neck, sprawling over his back. "I know boy. You'd total Megabreath if he played fair."

"I think most of us would be a match for Megabyte if he played fair," AndrAIa observed. She handed the baby to Matrix, whose grim expression changed to one of disguised terror. He held it like a delicate upgrade, in both hands. "I think it's safe to say he's going to pull a dirty trick or ten."

"That's the problem. He might be trying to pick us off one at a time because we're causing him problems together." Bob watched Matrix try to figure out how to hold the child – it would have been very funny at another time – and said, "I think it would be best if I went. You guys can follow at a distance and watch my six."

"Wait," Pearson said. He got up and looked at each of them in disbelief. "You're actually going to fight him? This is a trap."

"Yeah. It'll also be the first time Megabyte will have left the Principal Office. We might actually get a shot at him. And besides," Bob faltered. He saw Mike's trembling little shape huddled on the ground and continued forcefully, "This is perfect chance to show the citizens of Mainframe that it's not time to give up. We're willing to go to bat for them, and we're a force to be reckoned with."

"Bob held his own against Megabyte before." Dot had changed into her commander's uniform. Standing beside Bob, her stance cut a sharp line, jaw tense. "Anything is better than just waiting around."

Mouse sighed and leaned on the wall. "And if he takes the opportunity to attack while Bob is out? Someone needs to stay here. Guess I can fill that position…"

Bob smiled at her in gratitude and she winked at him. "Thanks Mouse. Good thinking. Sounds just like something he'd try."

Matrix finally could bear it no more and passed the baby to Enzo, who took it in surprise. "Here. You stay here with Old Man Pearson and Phong too."

"What? No way! I'm a Guardian, I'm going too!" Enzo paused in his indignation to settle the baby against his shoulder and scowled up at his elder version. Matrix stared at the gentle, sensible way Enzo cradled the baby in shock and Enzo followed his gaze. He rolled his eyes. "Don't you remember holding Frisket when he was a puppy? It's sorta the same."

Welman had freed himself from the robots, sliding along the floor until he was very close to his son's shoes. "Enzo, I would feel better if you remained here. You are a Guardian, and we will need you here to help keep the others calm while Bob and Matrix are away."

Enzo chewed his lip at this, pondering. "Yes, Pearson and Mouse cannot protect them all alone," Phong added sagely. AndrAIa gave him a shadow of a wink and knelt beside him.

"C'mon, Little Sparky. Someone's got to look after the others and help Mouse while we're gone. You can be our emergency backup. Right Matrix?" He grunted and she took this as an agreement.

Enzo and Matrix were very different, but Dot was wryly amused to see that there was one way they were completely alike; pleasing AndrAIa was always forethought. "Okay AndrAIa. But if you guys need help," Enzo began earnestly.

"You'll be our go-to sprite." AndrAIa hugged him and gave Frisket a scratch on the back. He kicked one leg in ecstasy. "You stay here as security, okay boy?"

"We will also stay as security," Slash announced.

"Yeah, us too," Hack agreed. Mouse rolled her eyes.

It was settled; Bob would reach the diner first with Dot, AndrAIa and Matrix following at a distance. If Megabyte's forces showed up – as they were expected to – Matrix got to be as trigger happy as he wanted and they would do whatever they could to take down Megabyte or grab Mike and run.

It wasn't really just for Mike that they were doing this. Certainly he was harmless and Megabyte was scum for going after him, but this was the first time Megabyte had issued a proclamation directed at them.

Dot had found a few broken weapons in the dump and had managed to cobble together a working gun. It wasn't fancy but it hung heavily on her hip, a reassuring weight. AndrAIa tested the edge of her trident and, for the sake of warming up, flung a volley of spines from her nails into a picture of Megabyte they had taken to doodling on. She struck just above the curly mustache Enzo had given him.

In the wasteland of garbage, Bob's hair stood out. It was shinier than any of the scrap metal around and Dot watched it gleam as he told the binomes what they were doing, and that Phong and Welman were their authority when they left. Dot felt her hair; it was dirty and wild, but Bob would hardly care considering their current situation. She approached him, feeling small in the huge expanse under the muggy sky.

"…And should virals attack while we're away, you need to head further into the depths of Ghetty Prime. There used to be a few friends here and here." He pointed to a scrap of paper and Dot recognized a hastily scrawled map of the sector. This was the most planning she'd ever seen Bob do. He must be worried if he saw the need to do something that wasn't on the fly.

She waited until the binomes dissipated, hurrying off to gather the others around the vid screen to watch the battle. Then Dot slowly wandered toward Bob, who was opening his zip board, examining it.

"Bob?" He jumped and turned around. Dot lifted her hands in apology. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you."

"Oh, it's okay. I wasn't paying attention. Ready to go?" he asked. Dot's eyes lowered and he looked around before leaning in. "Hey. What's up?"

"A lot of things. We haven't had the chance to talk since we've been trying to avoid Megabyte, and…I mean, I know you can beat him, but…"

Dot bit her lip and wondered if she looked really young without her lipstick. She had taken to wearing it young because it was in, all the sprite girls were piling it on, and it was trendy. She looked older with it, more mature, and she'd continued to like the effect as she got older. But living in the garbage meant that combs were out of reach, let alone feminine products like makeup. They were lucky to be finding energy for everyone. Everyone was haggard and rough, and she suddenly felt shy. Bob didn't look as scruffy as she did. Probably because he was never inclined to preen or primp anyway.

"I'm worried about you. Megabyte doesn't do this normally. He'd rather let his underlings handle the dirty work and gloat. Or at least, the old Megabyte would've. Now…I don't know what he'll do."

Bob said nothing, letting her mull over her words and gaze at nothing in the distance. "I don't know. Do you really think Megabyte just wants a fight for fun?"

Bob cocked his head and tucked his zip board under his arm. "Hm. No, not really. I mean, I think part of it is boredom, but I expect him to spend most of his time goading, throwing emotional bombs and sending his forces after us to watch us scatter. Probably to make us look weak." He shrugged. "Doesn't mean I'm not going to beat him. If he runs away he shows that he's weak."

"I still don't understand why he would do this!" Dot wanted to wrap her arms around Bob and hold him in place for a nano, at least until the world slowed down enough to make sense and let her think. "Can it really just be that he wants to mess with our heads? Or does he have another plan?"

Bob took her by the shoulders. "It doesn't really matter, Dot. It's a chance to deliver a blow to him in the eyes of the Mainframers."

"But what if he infects you?" She clasped her hands together and exhaled, shutting her eyes. Her composure returned and Dot continued, "Nothing would be worse than seeing one of you deleted or infected. Maybe that's his plan."

"Dot…I honestly think he just wants to toy with us. I really do." Bob's lips pursed. "Is something else wrong?"

It was ridiculous that Bob, of all sprites, could ask that question. Dot tilted her head, wondering if he were simply playing dumb. "I need to talk to you about what happened with the other Bob – I mean, Megabyte."

Bob's face softened and Dot felt translucent as he searched her eyes. It felt like he was reading her, every little thought. Every drop of shame, every searing little coal of loathing. "Dot…I'm not mad. If you want to talk about it we can, but I think it would be best to wait until there's more time."

So sensible. She was the tactician, the planner, but it was always Bob who used sense and solved such little problems. He was grounded and stable, and more than anything Dot needed something that didn't change.

Jaw tightening, Dot wrapped her arms around Bob and felt him slowly reciprocate. "Just stay safe. If he tries anything…_anything_…"

He nodded. "I'll be careful. It's not the same Megabyte as before."

Dot inhaled and her throat was too hot and it felt like there was something sharp in it. If she didn't back up now she'd cry. Straightening, she tapped his zip board and said directly, "All right. We'll follow you and conceal ourselves at the nearest building roof. If you need us, give us the signal and we'll be on Megabyte like circuit fleas on Frisket."

Smiling, Bob leaned forward. "I know." His lips brushed her forehead and Dot felt like her stomach had caved in and her heart had swelled all at once. Then he had his zip board out and Dot had to gather herself again because it was time to go.

Bob would be all right. He would come out on top. He always did.

* * *

Megabyte was excited.

Perhaps that was the wrong word; "interested" would be a better one, though it was a little strong for just simple interest. There was always anticipation before meeting with Bob – for who else would dare to challenge him for an insufferable talking television? – and it was a delicious sensation. The taste of unknown, the thirst for a fight…even the vague chill of possibly losing was bracing and made him feel more awake than he'd felt in the past idling minutes, infecting and draining and reading through files in the Principal Office.

It was peculiar, this excitement. Now that he was on a hunt and simply wanted to wreck everything in his path, the lack of a struggle had been depressing. It was too easy to destroy and maim, and it took too little time. Much less time than attempting to conquer and preserve as much of the city as possible. He wanted to savor the destruction of Mainframe and to feel pleasantly tired at the end of his campaign. He hadn't planned any further than that for movement to infect another system, and he didn't want it to be so easy.

Bob would keep it from being easy. He always put up a fight, even when he was doomed to lose. And he'd pulled remarkable wins from that kind of match. In a way he was almost hoping Bob would pull a miraculous escape at the last moment so they could fight again. And perhaps again. And then maybe…

Megabyte paused. He was actually counting on Bob escaping. He'd pulled off so many miracles that he couldn't help but factor it in. It was more than that, though; he was _hoping _Bob would get away. The rest? They could be deleted for all he cared. He was especially hoping to infect Matrix, the sprite that had dared come between the enmity he had with Bob. And Mouse too, for sending him into the Web.

Of course, if she hadn't he wouldn't have gained the powers he had. So his hatred for her was not quite so…vindictive. It was more just plain hate, not spiced with the desire to humiliate and ruin utterly.

With Bob, though, there was one more thing to temper his hate; a grudging admiration. The sprite always had an idea on the fly – or a plan, courtesy of Dot – that managed to force him to try harder, think again. It had been infuriating when he was just a plain virus, but in his "transcended" state…it was something he expected with amusement.

Of course, he'd win in the end. But hopefully not until there had been a long, glorious hunt. No one had ever diverted him so much as Bob.

And yet the sprite didn't hate him. Bob was under the delusion that because he was programmed as a virus, he was forced to be destructive. Megabyte smiled.

Perhaps some psychological damage could be wrought. That was always the best kind.

He was sitting in Dot's Diner now. It was getting dirty here since its abandonment, and he thought back on how it had felt in a group that radiated adoration, thinking him their idol Bob. It had been pleasant enough, and he supposed he understood Bob's liking of being the hero. It came with perks. Dot was not a bad kisser by any means.

"Cecil. What's the specialty today?" he asked. Cecil was banged up but he was as snooty as ever as he headed over, one arm in a sling. Even attacking the area hadn't made him abandon his post. He snorted.

"What am I? A waiter?"

Megabyte examined his claws. "Yes, actually. And I'd rather like a quantum shake. I never did get one as Bob, so I don't know what the appeal is." They lengthened, gleaming bright before him. "Be a dear and bring me one."

To his surprise Cecil headed behind the counter and fixed one with a series of swift, practiced movements, blending ingredients and pouring them into a cup, putting the lid on. He brought it over and said, "I suppose I'll set up a tab for you."

Megabyte lifted the drink in his direction. "Why _do _you refuse to serve Bob when he comes here?"

Cecil crossed his wiry arms. "Because he distracts Madam Dot from the business. And she is too good for him. Évidemment." Megabyte took the last word to mean something like, "Obviously."

Megabyte eyed him. "I thought it might be something like that." He took a long pull from the straw and tilted the shake. "Hm. That is rather good. I suppose Bob has some sensible preference at least."

Cecil shrugged. "He does not have bad taste. You have asked me a question, so let me ask one; why are you going to fight him like this? The whole city is wondering."

Megabyte swirled the shake. Cecil did not seem the sort to add anything hazardous to a dish. He cared too much about reputation, not to mention he was likely not programmed to poison anyone.

That, and Megabyte had a few of his viral binomes hiding behind the counter. He knew Bob would have emergency assistance along, so of course he had a few surprises of his own.

"I am bored. And Bob alone can alleviate my boredom." Cecil didn't seem surprised.

"If you say so." He went behind the counter again and yelled, "Move! I cannot work in these conditions!"

* * *

Bot set down in front of the doors to Dot's Diner and he couldn't help but look around, heart sinking. It was a dark, dingy place now, and the 'o' was missing from Dot's name. It looked like someone had stolen it and carted it off, not caring about leaving red glass scattered on the lot. He glanced through one of the broken windows and saw Megabyte sitting at a familiar booth, waving a free hand at him. He saw Cecil in the building as well, and shook his head. Only Cecil would continue working under a viral regime like this.

He entered the restaurant. "And here I thought there weren't supposed to be any other forces present? Where's Mike?" The viral binomes had ducked hastily under the counter but one of the tallest could still be seen. It peeked up and then darted back down again.

"As if Dot, Matrix and few others aren't waiting in the wings to back you up. And Michael has already been set free. He's probably trying to find a camera crew to tell his story to," Megabyte said dismissively. "I let him loose to terrorize the city. I can only wish I could appall them as much as he does." Bob realized he had a shake in front of him. Megabyte lifted the cup and said, "Quantum shakes are quite good."

"You're kidding me. Cecil, you'll serve Megabyte?" Bob watched Megabyte carefully as he walked around him. "I've been trying for cycles to get a quantum shake around here."

Megabyte did not seem antagonistic right now, content to drink his shake. Bob did not sit across from him, sitting instead on a stool by the counter. "I've got to say, I'm surprised. I didn't think you'd want to fight like this. You've been hiding yourself away in the Principal Office so much lately that I thought you were scared of us."

It was like two predators content to eat at the same carcass. At any moment one might attack, and the other would be ready. Bob rested his elbows on the counter and his hands touched the edge. Megabyte turned so he had his legs crossed outside the booth. "Afraid? Hardly. I was just getting some business done…a few infections. But alas, it's not much fun when nobody can challenge me. I thought that you would be an interesting diversion."

"Ah. So it's boredom you're afraid of." Bob's eyes narrowed and Megabyte's expression darkened. "Maybe it's not as much fun taking over as you thought it'd be? It was more interesting when we were all on even footing."

"That I grant you. I figured that it would be fun to have a sporting battle. Besides, it was the one way I could be sure you would come out." Megabyte had finished his shake and tossed it into a garbage bin across the room with superb aim. "What would you do if you captured me? Would you truly try to reformat me into a sprite rather than a virus?"

"It worked on Hex. We gave her an icon and she turned into a sprite. She was…well, less crazy than usual. And she was happy, I think." Bob remembered her going into the portal and wished there had been another way. Although he had not loved her in the way she loved him, he had wanted to see her happy, free of a viral curse. She had been a friend at the very least, and it was because of her that Welman was still with them. The magnitude of her feelings hadn't truly struck him until that moment; she was willing to be deleted for him.

He hoped that he had been kind to her. It was hard to remember those days when he was fading out, so exhausted and weary.

"Hexadecimal? The most insane, bizarre virus known to sprite? That's your control group for this experiment?" Megabyte smirked. "I seem to recall Dot telling me about that between kisses. Something about Hex ending as a virus across the net. Seems like her original format called too strongly."

Bob stiffened. The other Bob had been Megabyte in sprite's clothing, and that he'd had his hands on Dot, at any moment, pressed even his gentle temper. "She did that to save us."

"Ah, but she made the decision as a virus. Therefore her 'morality' as it were was not reliant upon her sprite coding. It was something else."

"What's your point?" Bob demanded.

Megabyte's eyes narrowed, the red shining beneath his lids. "Even if you turned me into a sprite, it doesn't mean I'd be any different. Binomes have joined me willingly several times. Do you really think just changing a virus's format would suddenly change their core? Hex changed because she wanted to…_not _because of your little idea of salvation."

Bob clenched his fist, stomach churning. "It's worth trying though. There might be viruses out there that want to be sprites. And it was easier for her to make the right choices when she didn't have viral coding pushing at her. We can help the ones that don't want to corrupt and conquer."

"And what about viruses like me?" Megabyte leaned forward, looming like a demon from a game. "What about the viruses that would rather be deleted than be crammed into the weak body of a sprite?"

Their eyes met, brown and red. Neither one said a word. Megabyte had just a hint of loathing in his, and mocking amusement. Bob had something like pity and rage.

And then Megabyte flung his tendrils forward and Bob gripped the counter and kicked off the floor, flipping over the counter. The tendrils plunged into the counter and Megabyte snarled, tearing it up and leaving his own binomes cowering in the open, curled on the tile floor. "I'll deal with you however I have to!" Bob said, leveling Glitch and aiming from the floor. "Glitch, concentrated beam!"

The blast blinded them all with golden light, and Megabyte was hurled out the window, landing on his back amidst shattered glass. He was still for a moment before sitting up and glaring at Bob, lips splitting into a grin. Bob landed outside the diner and put up his fists, Glitch humming with a shield.

"Somehow this never gets old," Megabyte said. He lunged forward, digging his claws into the pavement as he ran to meet his oldest foe.

* * *

Matrix's eye followed the battle and if Dot squinted she could see a blue and silver speck attacking a larger, dark blue blot. AndrAIa brushed her hair back so her ears were free of anything that could block sound. "They're really going at it," Matrix said. "And there are…five binomes down there as Megabyte's backup. Looks like they're too scared to do anything, though."

Dot's eyes roved around the diner, watching the sparks fly as the two flung each other into pavement, sending cracks along the foundation of the building. "Mouse should have come," she murmured. "She'd be more help if something happened. I'm useless here, I-"

Matrix looked at her with his normal eye, mechanical one remaining fixed on the fight. It was unnerving to see his eyes pointing different directions. "You'll do more good here watching Megabyte and Bob firsthand. You'd be distracted at Pearson's. Besides, you're a pretty good shot."

She lifted her gun. "I guess."

AndrAIa scowled. "They're talking." The two had paused, and it took about ten seconds for them to collide again. Dot heard Bob's enraged yelled.

"What did Megabyte say?" Matrix asked. "It sure ticked Bob off."

AndrAIa's gaze flicked to Dot and said, "Nothing worth repeating." Matrix's nostrils flared and Dot felt her face turn hot with angry humiliation. At least, she managed to tell herself, she had only kissed Megabyte as Bob, and never anything else.

Even so, the thought made her sick. _I picked Megabyte over Bob. Bob…I know you're not angry, but you should be…_

"I wish things were back to normal. I wish Ray had never found that monster, and that everything was perfect." But no, Bob had been weakened and hurt by fusing with Glitch. He might have faded entirely by now if he hadn't split. No, she wished it was like it used to be, with Megabyte greedy and Hexadecimal lunatic. Their plans would be kooky and thwarted. They could all go home safe and happy at the end of the minute. She would flirt with Bob a little and he'd shoot her a charming smile.

He wouldn't be fighting a Trojan Virus. She wouldn't be feeling this sick guilt, this stupidity. Dot wanted to hit herself. "How could I have fallen for it?" she murmured.

There were more important things to worry about. Dot saw Bob hit the pavement and the blur that was Megabyte hurtled after him. The two were embroiled in a deadly battle and she was dithering about her_ feelings_? Dot raised her gun and watched through the crosshairs.

"I've given up too many times. Not again," she said softly, following the fight with jerks of the weapon. AndrAIa was still listening intently, and her hands rested on the railing around the roof as she leaned forward a little.

"Something's wrong. Megabyte said something to Bob…about…"

Her eyes widened. "His forces are at the dump!"

Matrix let loose a volley of curses and looked back the way they'd come. "They probably won't count on Mouse and Frisket being there."

"And Enzo," AndrAIa added. He suddenly looked uneasy.

"That's what I'm worried about."

* * *

"Somehow it doesn't surprise me," Bob managed through his teeth, "that you would attack a bunch of innocent binomes."

"I thought you might have some forces there," Megabyte countered. Their hands were locked, pushing at each other with neither willing to give. Bob was smaller, but Glitch gave him strength. Megabyte's bulk and muscle were crushingly heavy, but if he buckled Megabyte might stomp his head into the pavement. If he was heavy on his arms, Bob didn't like to think of what that weight would do to his skull. Sweat ran down his forehead and back, and he tried not to grit his teeth; it would be wasted energy. "Probably the little brat and Phong. Considering how useless they are in a fight."

"They're not useless." Bob's eyes narrowed. "You're not wanting to beat me, are you?"

Megabyte's face contorted in annoyance. "What are you talking about? I've got you right where I want you."

"Yeah. But you're not doing anything about it." Bob took the distraction and brought a leg up, nailing Megabyte in the jaw. The virus grunted and stumbled back. Bob backed up hastily, arms throbbing. "You could've infected me at that range. But you didn't."

"And spoil my fun so early? I think not!" Megabyte charged again and Bob drew back his arm with Glitch still glowing gold.

"Glitch, shield!" The glow encircled his fist and when Megabyte was close – breath on his face, heat radiating off his body – Bob socked him again. The shield pushed Bob back and sent Megabyte flying, Bob hitting the ground under the impact. "So you admit you're just toying around?" Bob called, chest heaving as he sat up.

"I'm just enjoying myself," Megabyte replied, rolling onto all fours with some difficulty. He was winded, and there was a little dent in his chest. Strangely, he seemed satisfied.

"Megabyte, you're not the same as you were. You've don't play around anymore with anyone else. But you could've ended this already." Bob and Megabyte began to circle, neither one moving forward or backward an inch. "Maybe you've been thinking about what happens to viruses when they fulfill their function?"

Megabyte twitched. It was the smallest motion but Bob saw it. "I knew it. It's the reason you were never willing to do anything other than corrupt and conquer in the first place. You didn't want to destroy Mainframe completely like you're supposed to because you knew what would happen. It's the same thing that happened to Daemon." Bob straightened. "You heard about that. She was deleted, code shredded apart. The same thing will happen to you if you ever complete your function."

"But how much out there exists to destroy, Bob? Perhaps I just need to make it into the Net after all as Mainframe crumbles," Megabyte breathed. Bob grinned.

"What if you can't? Last I checked you've got no access to a portal. So…if Mainframe goes, you go. Mainframe can be rebooted. You can't, not as a virus. You'd have to be a sprite. Either way, we'll win at the end."

"Assuming your benevolent User will reboot again!" Megabyte snarled, and Bob knew he'd touched a nerve. "Perhaps he will tire of bailing you out and let Mainframe die!"

"And you'll go right along with it." Bob had his breath now; talking was easier than pushing Megabyte back. "Either way, no matter how much you destroy, you're deleted and none of it matters. So what's the point?"

Megabyte's fingers were twitching. "You're trying to use psychology against me? Bob, you're hardly a match for my mind."

"Then why are you getting mad? Has it been bothering you, trying to think of something? Really Megabyte…why? You're not stupid; why do something that's pointless?" Bob wondered what the virus was thinking. His face was completely set. "There isn't any power or gain…no glory or conquest. It'll be like you never existed. No one will remember anything about you."

"I could ask the same of you," Megabyte said. His pupils burned scarlet. "I tell you I'm sending my forces over to the dump and all you do is pester me about this?"

Bob wanted to look toward the dump but didn't. "We've got forces to protect the binomes there. You'll never get near them."

Megabyte bared his teeth slowly, lips peeling back. "Yes…because your little acolyte and a few others will be there…"

He turned to the diner where his minions were still cowering. "Open a vid window for me." Bob's eyes narrowed as one did so, making the screen pop up for Megabyte. The sound of fighting and yelling came through, and Bob smirked when he heard Frisket barking in the background and saw Hack and Slash rolling around and scooping up virals. Megabyte glanced at him coldly and said, "All of you, listen! I don't care about the binomes now. I want you to delete a sprite at any cost, or face deletion yourselves. This is not a capture assignment."

Bob's smirk faded. Megabyte's lips curled in a smile. "Delete Enzo. That's my order."

The window shut and Bob stared at Megabyte. Enzo…their sole mission was to delete Enzo now? But they wouldn't expect that…and knowing Enzo, he would be trying to protect the binomes without fear, because even now he didn't seem to understand how dangerous this really was.

Bob pulled out his zip board and hopped on. Megabyte scowled. "Leaving so soon?"

"You're sick Megabyte. You're sick and we're taking you down. Why go after Enzo?" he spat. Megabyte leered.

"Because I want to. That is the only reason I need." He lunged for the zip board but Bob rose into the air, board flaring as he headed back the way he'd come. Bob saw Dot, Matrix and AndrAIa hurtling through the air as well. AndrAIa had no doubt heard Megabyte's orders. Tilting forward until he was nearly horizontal, his speed kept his soles tight to the board.

"We should have known leaving was a bad idea! I was so stupid, thinking this would work…what kind of plan was this? I'm an idiot!" Dot sounded frantic, speeding along until her words trailed back to him.

"We couldn't have known he'd change his focus halfway through! And besides, this wasn't your plan!" AndrAIa gave Matrix a worried look as Bob caught up. "Frisket's there. He'll frag anything that gets near Enzo."

Bob's stomach, a ball of furious, seething fear, loosened just a little. If the virals – inept at the best of times – had to battle Frisket, Enzo was not in as much danger. But even so, none of them slowed in the slightest, eyes burning against the wind as they returned to the dump.

* * *

Enzo wasn't sure why Megabyte ordered the binomes after him when he did – maybe he was losing against Bob and decided to be a butt about it. At any rate, they'd turned on him and rushed in. Of course, they met Mouse's katana, Frisket's teeth, and even Welman's energy-sapping touch. The Null wiggled between their feet and brushed their legs, draining their energy until they collapsed and then moving to the next one. Old Man Pearson had long ago destroyed his weapon, but he was fearsome with a wrench. Enzo held tight to the baby binome and just hunkered down behind a pile of scrap as the others fought, sullen that he couldn't do more while taking care of it.

It hadn't been a surprise when about fifty virals attacked and started blowing things apart. The binomes had been evacuated and scattered across the sector, Hack and Slash guiding the groups and blasting any virals that got in their way. The others had remained to buy them time until the call for Enzo's deletion came about.

They were down to fourteen if his count was right. The baby stared dully at the wall when Enzo peeked up over the scrap metal and ducked again, the brim of his hat smoking from a blast. "Geez!"

"I'm beginning to think this was a bad idea after all!" Mouse shouted. Enzo envied how fast she was; she blocked the brunt of the energy shots from the binomes' weapons with the reflective flat of her blade. Welman was not harmed at all by the beams, and Frisket was…well, Frisket. He picked up heavy objects and threw them at the binomes, including binomes foolish enough to come close.

Phong suddenly appeared next to him. "My child, more virals are coming. You must leave. Call Frisket and flee." He didn't sound as airy as usual, more direct. Enzo hesitated; Phong had been hit in the side ducking behind the pile with him and the place was smoking. "Go. We will be able to fight more freely when you are safe."

"But Phong, if someone gets deleted, it'll be my fault!" Phong's expression darkened.

"Enzo, so help me, just listen for once! Get out of the area!" He darted out from behind the scrap pile and wheeled around the virals, distracting them. Their blasters just barely missed and then Welman was there, skirting around their ankles and draining them. Frisket barked, kicked one binome over, and ran to his master, pulling at his sleeve.

Enzo hugged the baby and grimaced, taking out his zip board. "Frisket, I'm going to take the baby someplace safe. Then I'll be back!" Frisket howled in disagreement but Enzo got on and lifted off, rising rapidly away from the ground. Megabyte's forces yelled in anger, aiming at him and firing. They were poor shots; Enzo stuck his tongue out at them. Mouse cut into one's weapon, rendering it useless. He lit down by Pearson's shack, gently placing the baby inside on a makeshift cradle of blankets in a roughly curled piece of metal pipe. Then he was out the door and up on his board again, flying over head to see the battle.

"Enzo!" Dot was hurtling toward him, gun ready. She fired at one of the binomes, blowing his blaster out of his hand. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine! Help Phong and the others!" Her eyes widened in horror and Enzo thought that, for just a second, he saw an ABC unit reflected in her eyes.

And then his zip board rocked and exploded, burning his shoes and sending him flying. He yelled, falling toward the ground only to be scooped up before he hit the pavement. AndrAIa – who had caught him – seethed as she glared at what had shot at him.

The ABC hovered above Pearson's Data Dump, firing now on the binomes that had been brave enough to stay and fight. Dot shot toward it and lifted her gun once she was under it, firing at its undercarriage. It took three blasts before she sped off and the unit creaked, started smoking and then exploded.

Their triumph turned to dismay; five more ABCs were descending, smoking the ground with their blasts. Bob took to one and Matrix to the other, the latter's eye glowing livid red. It fired a red target onto one of the units and it seemed that the driver knew what that meant; he tried to turn the machine around to flee. Matrix wouldn't have it and peppered the engine until a satisfying plume of flame erupted out of it. Bob was a little gentler; he used Glitch to shatter the glass and swept by the hood and grabbed both binomes, dragging them out by their arms. With no pilot the ABC crashed, hitting the ground harmlessly.

"Dot, grab Enzo!" AndrAIa handed him off to Dot and Enzo felt a little sick with the motion. Frisket was howling below. AndrAIa pulled out her trident and ducked the blasts to reach the hovering systems and jammed the sharp edge into them. The unit started spiraling, and she just managed to free her weapon and veer off before it too crashed.

The remaining two ABCs were not foolish enough to tangle with them. They whirled around and took off at high speed. Enzo grinned.

"Alphanumeric! That was too cool!" Dot glowered at him and Matrix grunted.

"Did I _really _use to say that…?"

Bob anxiously zoomed over. "Enzo, are you okay? And Phong and Mouse?"

"Right now we are," he said. "The virals don't stand a chance now. Did you beat Megabyte?" Dot lowered him to the ground and they left the remaining enemies to Matrix and AndrAIa; they, with Mouse and Frisket, were sure to drive them out.

Bob shrugged. "I can't say either of us lost. When I found out he was going for deletion, I left. We were about equal." He paused to use Glitch to blast an enemy that was trying to shoot Phong. The binome yelped and fled, dark blue uniform smoking.

Enzo frowned. "Aw, I wanted you to beat him!"

Bob rolled his eyes. "Maybe next time." He cupped his hands around his mouth. "Matrix, AndrAIa! Come this way, we need to gather the people that went into hiding. It's not safe out in the city."

Frisket collided with Enzo, licking his face. Mouse jogged over with her katana still unsheathed. "Bob, the binomes we were protecting separated into two groups. One headed deeper into Ghetty Prime and the other looked like they were moving toward the center of Mainframe. But if Megabyte's going back to the Principal Office-"

Bob nodded grimly. "Okay. You round up the nomes nearby, we'll go for the center. Hack, Slash! Listen to Mouse!"

The robots were enjoying themselves, tossing a blaster back and forth over the head of a viral binome that was desperately trying to grab it. Hack looked over, freezing when he realized everyone was giving them deadly looks. "Ah…right. Because we weren't goofing off or anything."

"Oh, but I thought we were," Slash said honestly. Hack smacked him. The binome realized he was defenseless and turned on his heel, sprinting away. Old Man Pearson shook his wrench.

"And stay out you viral freaks!"

Dot took Enzo's shoulders. "Stay here, okay?"

He looked up at her and glared. "_Sis!_"

"He might still be after you! Listen for once and stay here! The last thing I need right now is for something to happen to you!" Dot's voice was angry and her mouth turned down at the corners violently. It was her angry face, and it usually brooked no argument.

"No! You might need help!"

"We'll have Bob and Matrix along if we need help." Her hands tightened on his shoulders.

"But I can-"

"_No _you can't. You're a little sprite and you'll get in the way and get killed! I can't see that happen. You'll be useful here, not with us." Enzo stared at his sister and her lip tightened. "I'm sorry, but it's for the best."

There was silence for a minute and Bob exchanged looks with Matrix, who seemed a little uncomfortable. AndrAIa, surprisingly, broke the silence, stepping forward and touching Dot's arm.

"I think it would be better if he followed at a distance, Dot. He's come through to help us before, and he's safer with us than not." She dared to hug Enzo's shoulders. "Besides, I worry about Little Sparky when he's not around…"

She jerked her head toward Hack and Slash. "Mouse will be busy enough with those goofballs. We should bring Enzo with us."

Dot looked ready to argue, bub Bob stepped in. "You're right, AndrAIa. Enzo is safer with a bigger group." He caught Dot's eye and leveled a serious look at her. "We don't have time to bicker. He'll just tag along anyway."

That much was true. Enzo waited breathlessly until Dot relented by looking away. "Fine. We'll meet up here when we find the binomes."

Enzo couldn't help but feel a little ashamed when his sister looked at Bob. But all the same, she didn't look angry anymore. Just fearful, nervous. She hid it with a breath and Matrix whistled for Frisket. "Come on boy. Track down the refugees."

Frisket lowered his nose to the ground and inhaled, wavering back and forth before barking and trotting briskly after the trail. Enzo decided that the best way to ease Dot's worry was to stick between her and Bob, so he followed behind Frisket, noticing that AndrAIa's ears twitched every so often as they left the dump and Frisket began leading them through the streets.

Mainframe was surviving, but it was tarnished and getting dirty, and people were all hiding indoors. He could see people peeking out their windows and ducking back inside, lights going off inside apartments and buildings. Nobody was on the sidewalk, and the air was deathly still. Matrix walked with Gun loose in its holster, and AndrAIa's trident rested on her hip, staff detracted and within easy access.

Frisket stopped, sniffing the air. His tail lowered and his ears dipped back. Matrix looked up. "What's up, boy?"

An alarm – an all-too-familiar one – sounded and Bob slowly lifted his chin. "Ah no. Not now…"

"_Warning; incoming Game. Warning; incoming Game._" The sky mottled, turning gray and splattering with purple light. The Game Cube loomed high above them, sliding out of the unfurling air and Enzo looked at Bob.

"It's coming down over us. Should we all go or just one of us? I could take care of it with Frisket…and Matrix and AndrAIa," he added hastily. Dot seemed relieved by the addition of the adults, but she shook her head.

"If we go in together it'll be done quicker. We shouldn't split up any more than we have to." Dot seemed to gauge the distance with two fingers and added, "Besides, we're too far from the edges. We couldn't get out from under it anyway."

Bob seemed to laugh. "The one place we're safe from Megabyte is in the Games…funny."

"I could use a Game right now. Not like we can let the area get Nullified," Matrix said. With a dull roar the cube fell and the group passed into the Game's world.

* * *

Megabyte watched the vid window in disgust. "Well that's it for now I suppose. Blast. I had hoped to heckle them a little more."

He turned away from it, pacing. _ "So it's boredom you're afraid of." _

"_Either way, no matter how much you destroy, you're deleted and none of it matters. So what's the point?" _

"_There isn't any power or gain…no glory or conquest. It'll be like you never existed. No one will remember anything about you."_

It had occurred to him that there was the risk of being deleted. But for Bob to bring it up…it was a little lower than he was accustomed to. Bob had never resorted to the psychological to win.

"What do I plan to do after I destroy Mainframe?" Megabyte put his hands on the control panels, looking down at the slightly smashed keyboards. "I suppose I'll have to find a method of getting a portal open before I progress any further to ensure I can get to a new system. And again, and again…"

Anything to keep from being deleted with the system. Anything to keep from being…insignificant. Bob would keep fighting him, drawing out the Hunt. It would give him purpose, passion.

The vid window focused on the purple Game, and while he debated on sending more forces to get the binomes near the center of the city, he was content to watch for a little while. He'd been in a game a couple times, and the experience had been interesting. He wouldn't want to have to go into each and every one though. It might get tiresome.

"Sir, the Game is letting out strange readings." Another vid window popped up and one of his viral technicians showed him a readout. He frowned, looking at the numbers.

"What's going on? Have they won already?"

"I…I don't know. We've never seen readings like these."

"_Warning; Game interrupted._" Megabyte's brows furrowed and he looked at the Game Cube vid window again. Could they have possibly won the game already? Game time was accelerated; perhaps a few minutes had passed and the User had made a mistake.

The Game Cube lifted swiftly and the sky slowly returned to blue. But Megabyte noticed none of this. His pupils were fixed on his vid screen where the Game Cube had been, and where Bob and the others had been.

_Had _been. Because while the Game was gone, the sprites had not returned. They had vanished with the Game. And it felt as if all his hope – if a virus dared to admit he could hope – had pooled out of his chest into a hole in the ground and was draining far, far away.

* * *

"_Take it out now! I've got to drop it off at the rental store, it'll be overdue tomorrow!"_

"_Hang on, I just want to play one level!"_

"_I don't care. Give it to me, I'm running late."_

"_Hey!"_

"_I warned you."_

"_Can't I keep it just a couple more hours?"_

"_No, I'm leaving now. Some other person might want to play it anyway. You can rent it again later."_

"_Fine…"_

* * *

End of Chapter 1


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Nada. If I were getting an income for this, I'd be pleased as punch.

* * *

**Chapter 2**

** Toader and Trouble**

Mouse could not be persuaded to move for nearly twenty nanos after the Game lifted and she realized that Dot and the others had been inside it.

They wouldn't respond to vid windows, searches, or frantic yells. The binomes that had run to Mainframe's center had returned trembling, unprotected, asking questions about where the others were. Phong had to try to explain, even though he had no idea what had happened and he probably felt worse than Mouse. But Hack and Slash were bawling hysterically and Welman was a disconsolate puddle on the ground. And Mouse…

She'd never been truly attached to anyone before she came to Mainframe. At first it had simply been fun to rattle Dot's chain by hitting on Bob who, she could admit, she'd crushed on a bit. But then Dot had become a friend, one that she was willing to fight and die alongside. Heck, she'd been a bridesmaid in the "wedding." She'd been willing to go down with Mainframe when it collapsed. Bob and AndrAIa, Enzo and Matrix…even the darn dog. They had all become important to her. Dot had been her sister and the rest had been her screwball family as well, making Mainframe home to a hacker.

Now…they were gone. Probably Nullified, and now there was no Hexidecimal to give them their minds back like Welman. She cupped her face in her hand and bared her teeth, breath hot with salt and unshed tears.

This wasn't fair. Why had all of them gone into the Game? Why couldn't they have been stuck outside it and the sector been Nullified? Why had it left when it did?

_What were they supposed to do now?_

"They're gone." Welman's head lifted like he was drunk, wobbling and drooping like a giant tear. "My children…Dot, Matrix, Enzo…all gone. I've lost them again."

She bit her lip, wanting to pat his…back, she supposed. But it would hurt her. Mouse buried her head in her arms; she missed Ray. He was always calm, always thought up something witty to say. He would search the Net for a way to return Nulls to normal – surely someone would have thought of something? – and she would kick the tar out of Megabyte, believing he'd bring back information…or Bob like he had before…or something.

Ray was a search engine, though. He went where he was needed, drifting where people requested help. It would be a while before he came back, having no idea about Megabyte's assault.

"We've gotta pull together. We can't give up." Her voice was breathless, chest tight from the want to cry and scream and throw a tantrum at the unfairness of it all. But she sat up, getting off of the upturned bucket she'd been sitting on. "Y'hear? Everyone!"

The binomes, regrouped in in the dump, all shook and shivered. She heard Slash whimpering behind her and turned around. He had the infected baby in his arms, dull as ever. "Enzo…he put the baby in there…to keep it safe." He handed it to her with shaking fingers. "I don't know about babies."

He sounded so frightened and helpless that Mouse hardened in response. She took the child and held it. Phong's head was hanging and Welman was nearly mindless now, slumped over. She was the one most associated with Dot other than Bob; Mouse would have to rally them.

She would have to vent in the battle against Megabyte, not crying on a bucket. Tightening her jaw, Mouse raised her voice. "We can't afford to let this stop us. I know that Bob and Dot and the others have been the leaders and protectors for a while. And I know that you're scared. But Bob, Matrix and AndrAIa have come back from worse than this! And with Dot, you know they'll figure something out. She always does."

Mouse would have to believe this herself. It couldn't be over. They couldn't just be gone. "The User didn't win the Game, so they might just be stuck in there. It's possible to find their way back. They'd done it before. Bob can make portals, and as soon as I can communicate with Ray, we'll start looking for them. In the meantime we have to work against Megabyte so they have a Mainframe to come home to."

Some of the binomes looked less miserable, but a few others just looked wary. "And what if they've been Nullified?" one asked. The words rippled through them and Mouse's blood heated.

"We won't assume that until we've got some evidence. And we'll keep looking for a way to reverse Nullification, for them and everyone else. But we have to deal with Megabyte and protect ourselves now so we can help them."

Welman lifted his head. Phong turned to look at her. Enraged, Mouse held out the infant. "Look at this! This is why we have to fight Megabyte right now! If we all end up like this, we won't be able to help them! Are you going to cower because Bob isn't here right now? Are you going to let this happen to your own children and loved ones?"

The crowd began to murmur, and she saw anger infecting each of them like a virus. "We aren't finished! We're going to figure out a way to protect ourselves and send help! I'm not quitting and neither should you! Hope ain't gone yet!"

"Y-Yeah! We'll beat the Boss and make things right," Hack stammered. Mouse watched the life return to the binomes' eyes and Phong seemed to steel his fingers. Welman shook his gelatinous body and began to slither.

"I will see about forming new defenses. We need to build a shelter that Megabyte cannot easily penetrate."

Mouse heard someone clear their throat and glanced over her shoulder to see Old Man Pearson sitting on her abandoned bucket. "All right…that was an inspiring little speech. But this dump isn't big enough to form a real fortress on." Mouse's heart sank. He tapped his forehead. "When I was a Codemaster I had to think like a virus and a criminal in order to beat them. Sometimes you have to figure out where they would go and what they would do. I've been trying to think of a good place to set up and I think I've finally figured it out. It's been right by this whole time."

Slash and Hack exchanged a glance. "Is he making any sense to you?" Slash asked.

"Nope. I'm lost."

Several binomes were listening in and Mouse shifted her weight to one hip, still holding the baby. She was aware that it needed a change and let Phong take it. "I take it you've got a plan."

"When the city was rebooted, all traces of the Silicon Tor were wiped clean, along with the stain of Megabyte's viral influence. However, in that area there is a fair amount of space there…space that might provide for a very stable fortress, if only the right materials and weapons are used to defend it."

Mouse stared. "Are you suggesting we build our own Tor?"

He smirked and jerked a thumb at the dump. "You've got no shortage of material to work with."

* * *

The Game stopped nearly as soon as they arrived.

Bob, in all his cycles of Gameplay, had never had something like this happen to him personally. He'd heard horror stories in read-only files and downloads, but it so rarely happened, and anyway, there had never been any kind of protocol for survival if it _did _happen, so his mind went blank.

"What's going on?" Dot tugged Enzo close when the world suddenly grew more pixelated, stretching into squares of bizarre neon colors and lights. The floor seemed to start giving way, turning to mush beneath their feet. His eyes started to cross.

"I…it's…been interrupted…" he managed, realizing with horror that everyone around him was starting to fade out, flickering. Dot was trying to say something but her voice echoed, turned to water in his ear.

"Everyone switch to Game sprite mode, _NOW_!" Matrix seemed to explode into color and volume. His brightness nearly blinded Bob, and AndrAIa appeared next to him, her hand on Frisket's collar as the dog returned as well. Bob feebly tapped his own icon and felt like air had rushed into his lungs, clearing his head. It was fresher than energy at his lowest levels. He dove for Dot and Enzo but they had already reappeared, both gasping. "Hang on everyone. We'll be okay now." Matrix reached out and took AndrAIa's hand almost doubtfully, questioning, and she squeezed warmly in response.

Bob had never been in Game sprite mode. His icon gleamed nicely, and he felt no difference. It made him a little uneasy, especially when he thought about how many Game sprites he'd had to fight before. Sure, they would return when the Game started again, but still…knowing AndrAIa and how she could feel pain, he felt a little sick at the thought of blowing one away now. What if all the beings in Games were like that, even the lowest little pawn?

_Great. Not only am I worried about viruses, I'm worried about everything _else _that tries to delete me_. He sighed. They merely floated in the whiteness, feeling now like it was cushion or a solid cloud, pillowing them. Frisket laid down happily in midair, resting his head in Enzo's lap. "What happened?" Dot asked. Her hand fixed tight around Enzo's wrist.

"The User interrupted the Game. They ended it before they won or lost. It happened a couple of times to us. We were in Game sprite mode at the time and it didn't affect us, so I figured we should all switch." Matrix did not seem overtly alarmed. But he did seem angry. "We'll have to ride with the game data until the User plays it again. Hopefully we'll be let back down in Mainframe…"

Bob stiffened. "You mean we might not?"

AndrAIa's hair billowed up and she tried to smooth it back down. "Sometimes it lets us down in a different port. We're not sure why, unless the User plays it somewhere else."

Matrix ran his fingers through his hair, nails digging into his scalp. "It could take cycles to get back to Mainframe…" he muttered. Enzo looked fearfully up at his sister.

"But Dad and Phong are back there! So are Mouse and Hack and Slash! Megabyte might attack them! We can't be gone for cycles!"

"We might not be. It might only be a few minutes. Megabyte's probably as confused as the others; there's no way he knows about Game interruptions." AndrAIa elbowed Matrix pointedly as she finished speaking and he winced. "We should just wait and figure this out when it starts again. Game time is accelerated anyway."

Bob looked down at Glitch. "Besides, I can probably form a portal with a tear later as soon as we're in a system. Remember? Guardians don't need real portals to travel the Net as long as we have our Keytools."

At this everyone relaxed. "Yeah," Matrix said, voice softening. "I forgot."

Dot smiled at Bob and AndrAIa. "If it weren't for you guys we'd have worried ourselves to fragmentation by now." Bob smiled at her, trying not to show his own worry. This was out of his depth, even as a Guardian.

"It's going to be all right. We'll switch back to Sprite mode when the Game starts back up. Until then it would probably be best to shut down temporarily." AndrAIa leaned against Matrix, head on his shoulder. "The Game will boot us awake automatically when it starts again. That takes time."

Dot and Bob glanced around the plain whiteness before Bob – in a rather clumsy swimming motion – managed to wiggle over to her and Enzo and Frisket. The dog growled by habit but let him stop right beside Dot, who awkwardly huddled beside him with Enzo sandwiched safely between them. "We won't drift away, will we?" he asked.

"Nah. What you just did is about the extent of our movements." Matrix grunted. "I'm getting out of shape. Before this I would have switched a lot faster."

AndrAia thumped his side gently. "Calm down, Sparky."

This opened up a slew of questions – how many times had this happened, what if you had to go to the bathroom being among them – that Bob decided he would have to ask at another time. Dot seemed embarrassed when she let her head rest on his arm and he put his chin atop her hair. Enzo had no qualms about snuggling in and leaning his back on both of them.

One by one, each sprite shut down in sleep mode. Bob was the last, gazing down at Enzo and Dot. "Glitch, let me know if anything weird shows up," he whispered. Glitch beeped and he finally let himself rest in order to escape the unknown wait before them.

* * *

"_Game Start._"

The sound jerked him awake, along with Glitch's blaring. Bob felt his feet connecting with the ground and sighed in relief. "Dot, Enzo, wake up. The Game's running again."

Enzo yawned. "How long were we out?" Bot glanced at Glitch and looked into its records.

"Looks like…three hours of Game time." Dot woke more quickly than Enzo or Bob, instantly alert. Bob scratched his head and rubbed his eyes, trying to wake up a little more. Frisket knelt and stretched, tail up in the air. The dog then proceeded to find what looked like a tree and marked it as his.

Matrix was awake and looking around in confusion. "What kind of Game is this?"

It looked very flat and everything seemed to be square and fairly blocky. "Looks like an older Game," Bob observed. To their right were two roads with blocky cars rolling slowly along, and to their left was a very repetitive, slow-moving river with round, smooth logs floating along at perfect intervals. "Glitch, Game stats," Bob said, raising his left arm. He gave the reading a bewildered look. "It's apparently called…_Toader_."

"_Toader_? Heh heh!" Enzo kicked at the pixelated turf. "There aren't any weapons or anything that I see."

"Apparently the User has to…get across the river and street in this level. If he does, he wins. If he drowns, gets eaten or is run over, all his lives will be gone after three tries and we win." Bob gave the cars a disbelieving look. "Come on. Who could get run over by-?"

A fat, green creature suddenly lunged out of the river, right into oncoming traffic, and AndrAIa let out a noise of revulsion when it disappeared under the wheel of a truck. It made a squelching sound and Glitch noted the loss of a life by the User.

"…That." Bob finished weakly. He gradually turned to look across the river, this time seeing the squat, warty creature plopping across the logs. It had long, rubbery legs and splotches of brown marked its throat. It stared vacantly forward. "That's the User?"

"Wow. Talk about bad. He jumped right under that truck," Enzo said. He tapped his icon and said, "Reboot!"

A ring of green light appeared around him and vanished to reveal him now wearing a t-shirt, a set of overalls and riding a scooter. He scowled and plucked at the front of his overalls, rolling his eyes at the oversized, colorful lollipop that had materialized in one hand. "Who wears this stuff other than Old Man Pearson?"

Dot shrugged. "The sooner we get out of here, the sooner we can get back and show the others we're okay. They must worried sick." She clicked her own icon and called, "Reboot!"

The others followed suit, taking their time as the User seemed to jump backward as often as forward, trying not to drift too far. Dot reappeared as a woman in a red business suit with an economical, compact car and very thickly rimmed glasses. "It suits you," Bob said amusedly. She gave him a once-over and laughed.

"Well look at you!" she replied. He realized he had rebooted as a traffic cop and had no means to run the User over at all. He scratched his thick, bristly black mustache and sighed. "At least the hat is cool," he noted, feeling his dark blue cap and adjusting his neon vest over his uniform.

Matrix and AndrAIa turned into a pair of bikers sharing a motorcycle. "Always bikes," Matrix said. "Hey, wait, how come you're driving?" Decked out in black leather and silver spikes, he found himself sitting just behind AndrAIa, whose wardrobe was made more feminine by scarlet lipstick, blue eye shadow and a red tank top under her leather jacket.

"Don't complain Sparky. We both know who's a better driver." She winked at him and he elected to try to remove the piercing in his lip. It looked painful and he winced when he touched it.

Frisket did not reboot, lying in the grass and panting happily. "Don't worry boy, you'll be our backup. If the User looks like he's going to make it, you pounce on him," Enzo said, rolling his scooter along the side of the road.

"Be careful. Stay out of the way of the cars!" Dot called. The wet plop of the User's approach made her climb into her car, starting it up. "Come on, let's total this toad."

It was going to be more difficult to avoid the other cars than anything, Bob realized. Dot maneuvered out into the road and AndrAIa followed, riding slowly around between cars as they waited for the User to make a move. For a while it just sat there, croaking and looking slimy. Then, just when Bob began to wonder of the User had fallen asleep, it started out into the lanes of traffic. He made his way past it, directing traffic out of the way of AndrAIa and Dot, feeling a little bad for the tiny creature. What kind of sick person made a game where losing meant a helpless animal becoming road kill? He paid little attention as he directed the cars out of the way, leaving a space for the others.

"Bob!"

Dot's yell made him realize his danger; a sleek, silver car was hurtling toward the User, and Bob was too close for comfort to its intended path. He threw himself back and felt the air being crushed out of him by the impact, just like the guts of the User as the tires ran it over. It vanished and Glitch noted the loss of another life.

Bob sat up, panting. "Hey! No respect for the uniform, I tell you!"

Instead of backing up, the car stopped just short of several others. It was a beautiful thing with dark, shiny windows and a liquid-smooth shape. The driver's door opened, and to his surprise, something actually came out.

He was about Bob's age from the look of him, with dark blue skin and a silver suit on that matched the car. His hair was back in a short ponytail and it was completely white. He had a handsome, cold face and a superior curl to his lip. "What do you think you're doing, Game sprite?"

His voice was higher than Matrix's, arching. Bob stared at him. Game Sprite? Why…oh. His icon.

Bob cleared his throat. "I'm not a Game sprite. I just happen to be in Game sprite mode. I'm actually a Guardian. We were just trying to take care of the User."

"Before you nearly drove Bob into the pavement," Matrix muttered. He'd finally figured out the mouth piercing and removed it and pitched it over his shoulder, leaving him free to speak. The sprite blinked lazily at them and Bob realized that his eyes were green and his pupils were small, suspicious. What was alarming was the fact that what should have been the whites of his eyes were inky, liquid black.

"A Guardian…? I could have sworn we told the Supercomputer to back off and that we could handle our own affairs." He examined his nails which, Bob noticed, were also a luminous white. "How did you get into the Game, oh wise Guardian? I wasn't aware of anyone with Guardian Code in the area where the Game fell."

Bob did not tend to judge early or harshly. But this guy was looking at him snootily, and he had to bite his tongue. He might be a little younger than he looked, Bob reasoned. "It was interrupted while we were inside. We converted to Game sprite mode to keep from being Nullified, and…I take it the Game hasn't returned to Mainframe," he finished, realizing that there were no other sprites in Mainframe, and therefore this fellow could not have come from there. Matrix's face fell and Enzo looked scared. "But that just means I'll have to use Glitch to get us back when we finish the Game," he added hastily.

To add conviction to his words, Bob tapped his icon. It switched from the Game sprite icon to his ordinary one. The new sprite seemed unwillingly interested as all the others did the same, Frisket's reached by Enzo. "How interesting. I wasn't aware that was possible," he admitted grudgingly. Then his gaze snapped up to Bob again. "Wait, you want to use your Keytool in Hub?"

"If that's the name of your system, then yes."

The sprite seemed amused. "What's so funny?" Dot demanded. She'd nothing to this point, observing the rude newcomer with a measure of dislike.

"You'll see. Let me finish the Game and I'll _try_ to help you understand." He climbed back into the care. "Move over, 'Guardian.' I need a little room."

Bob marched out of the way, not wanting to relive his flying leap. The User was returning, as slimy and determined as ever. The silver car revved up, and Bob realized that the new sprite was showing off the power of the machine. "Pft. Like he meant to reboot with it," he said amusedly.

Before the car could go, the screech of a motorcycle speeding up and squashing an amphibian broke his concentration. Bob barely had time to grin and notice the black skid mark in the road before a new, lowly male voice said, "_Game Over._"

The energy lifted off of them, taking his five 'o' clock shadow and mustache with it. Bob rubbed his smooth face and said, "Now I remember why I hate facial hair. It's itchy."

"How dare you! I'll have you know _I'm _the elected Gamer official in charge of defusing all Game situations in a safe manner!" The new Sprite looked the same as ever, only his clothes had shifted into a gray and black body suit. A white belt was strapped around his waist, and altogether it looked like something out of a sci-fi game. It was somewhere between really, really dorky and really, really cool. Bob couldn't decide which one it was. "Of all the stupid ways to intervene, when I had a specific plan-!"

He stopped. Matrix had snarled at him – nobody talked to AndrAIa that way, even if her plans were stupid on very rare occasion – but this was not what he was surprised by.

No, he was looking straight at AndrAIa, who admittedly looked much prettier when she wasn't decked out in tons of makeup and black. She gave the sprite a cool look and said, "You were a little busy posturing. I decided to take the initiative."

He merely shut his mouth and inclined his front. "Forgive me. I was discourteous. I didn't realize I was in the presences of a lady such as yourself."

It was then that Bob noticed Matrix's eye was glowing a muted red and he realized that this had the potential to be very, very bad. AndrAIa appeared to accept the apology, looking around. Her eyes widened.

"_Whoa._"

Bob followed her eyes and his jaw dropped; they definitely weren't in Mainframe anymore. The buildings around them were twice as tall as any in Mainframe, and instead of being blue and gray and dingy, they were all varying shades of tan and white with completely translucent, reflective glass and silver beams connecting walkways far over their heads. They were so high that he had to crane his neck until the back of his head touched the top of his spine. The sky was the same as Mainframe's, but that was all. The street was dark gray and smooth and the sidewalks were almost white. And passing by were binomes and sprites of every shape and size. A few were clothed in light, gleaming fabric, but most were dressed in darker, slightly drab cloths. Many of them looked trendy and none looked like the rude sprite's.

Speaking of which. Frisket was growling at him and Matrix was still containing himself with difficulty. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Tera, Councilman of Hub and Elected Game Player." He took AndrAIa's hand and kissed her fingers. "Charmed."

Bob had seen enough people to know the difference between a gentleman, a flirt, and a jerk. He was reluctant to title anyone the last. He considered himself a gentleman – usually – and Ray Tracer a flirt. This guy…his eyes wandered in improper places and he sounded like a young jerk. He was also in trouble if he didn't back up. Matrix was jealous at the best of times.

"Uh…thanks. I'm AndrAIa." She too seemed to get the idea that the sprite was a jerk. At the risk of being rude she politely retracted her hand with a slight smile.

"'AndrAIa.' How exotic." Tera tried to continue, but Enzo tittered.

"'Tera?' Isn't that a girl's name?" The sprite shot him a deadly look and Dot tapped Enzo's arm.

"Enzo, apologize. That was very rude."

Enzo stuck out his lower lip. "Sorry."

"Ahem." Tera turned back to AndrAIa, cheeks still dark with angry embarrassment. Bob dared to half-wink at Enzo, whose lips curled in a catlike look of satisfaction. "At any rate, I would love to show you around Hub. Perhaps I could arrange lodging for you? Gamehopping is exhausting, I've heard-"

"She's fine," Matrix snapped. "Besides, we were just leaving. Bob, I'll make a tear if you'll use Glitch to get us out of here."

Tera's attention fixed on him. "What? A tear in Hub? How dare you!" He snorted, smooth façade fading. "We haven't had a tear in the past fourteen cycles! Besides, Keytools don't work in Hub any longer. It's a defense against the Guardian forces."

Bob had to absorb that for a nanosecond before it made even a bit of sense. "Defense…against the Guardians? But they've returned to normal."

"Yes. They're just as nosy, interfering and arrogant as ever. Thinking they are the only ones that can protect against viruses and Games. Hub is not such a small, backlog system as what they're used to." Tera gestured at the cityscape, fingers opening grandly. "We have our defenders and we don't need the likes of the Guardians having carte blanche and infecting everyone the next time another super virus comes around. We were infected because they forced their way in. We would have been better off with no Guardians at all on the Net."

"Yeah, well it was Guardian Code that cured the person who stopped Daemon." Matrix's voice was cutting. "And she came from our city, Mainframe."

"The lunatic Hexadecimal virus?" Tera arched an eyebrow. "So…it's that kind of system. You'll need to be scanned and searched immediately."

"We just want to leave. One tear will get us out and it'll be gone in half a nano," Bob said. He raised his arm and looked at Glitch. "I can do that easily…"

Glitch didn't respond. He frowned and tapped it. "Glitch? Glitch!" He smacked it again and stared in disbelief. "It…it really doesn't work!"

"As I told you. No external Software or add-ons operate without being registered and assigned a permit code for use." Tera nodded at Matrix. "That goes for your weapon as well. It's extra coding."

Matrix pulled Gun from its holster and tried firing it into the air. Nothing happened and his face became very still. "Why does my eye still work then?" he asked through gritted teeth.

"It's been incorporated into your code already. The weapon isn't." Tera shrugged as if to say, "Idiot." "Hence why we need to get you into the scan. We only have extra weaponry automatically covered. If a virus came in we'd need to scan them and delete them there."

Bob felt truly helpless without Glitch. It had always been there helping him even when he hadn't known it. It had been a part of him. And now with it shut off, what would he do if he got into a fix? What kind of system had the power to do something like this? And why?

"Look you," Matrix began, putting a finger to Tera's chest. Tera had to lift his chin to meet Matrix's eyes.

And then Dot suddenly pushed them apart. "Excuse me. I think what my brother wants to say," she said, giving Matrix a deadly look, "is that it's an emergency. We have to return to our system immediately. We're facing a viral threat, and the only way to get there in time is if we can either use a portal or Bob can use his Keytool. Lives are at stake."

Tera was still giving Matrix a thin, seething look that was lessened by his smooth skin. But he simply shut his eyes and stated, "All such requests must be input to the elected Head of Security, Sweeper. The request may be granted an audience later, after it has been processed and its importance determined. I would do that and expect someone to look over your case in six hundred hours."

_…Six hundred hours?_ Bob's head started to spin. Dot's face went a pale green and he found himself suddenly able to stand for her sake. "Hold on. An emergency like this and you can't do any better than that? What kind of random system is this? You sure you don't need a resident Guardian?"

Tera stiffened. "Like some backsystem sprites would know anything about organization and planning!"

Bob pursed his lips. Dot had suddenly turned an interesting red color. "'Planning?' Any system where an emergency group can't get immediate assistance needs serious improvement! I don't care how big your city is, there should always be an official available for a situation like this!"

Not daring to interrupt the coming rant on the importance of proper organization – and the outrage Dot had at being told she was ignorant of it – Bob interlocked his fingers and twiddled his thumbs. It was safer that way.

"Hub is easily twenty times the size of any other system you've ever seen! You think you're the only people that come through here looking for assistance? We have dozens of requests daily at minimum! Whatever your issue is, you'll have to conform to our system if you want any help from us! More is on the line than your piddly system!" Tera did not yell, but he was condescending, and Bob fought the urge to crack his knuckles; he was getting as bad as Matrix. Dot could handle herself, but this sprite was definitely pushing all their buttons.

"We don't need help, we need a portal. We can handle our problems on our own as soon as we get out of this system!" Dot snapped. Her temper was flaring and Bob wondered how he might stop this from escalating into something very violent.

And then suddenly AndrAIa spoke. "Our system might be deleted if we don't get back in time," she said. Tera's frozen stare broke a little and she smiled. "It's just _such_ an emergency. Would it be possible for you to talk to someone for us? You must be important here if you're the designated Gamer and a Councilman."

Enzo stuffed a fist in his mouth to keep from laughing at the way Tera shifted from angry to flattered, composing himself. "Yes, well…I am of some importance." He gave AndrAIa another look and said, "For you, madam, I might be able to see about moving your case up the line. Some have been waiting longer and require precedence, you understand…"

"Thank you. That's all we're asking. Of course we understand that there are other serious cases." AndrAIa's gracious tone was impressive. If ever Welman's hope of all systems being easily traveled came true, Bob thought she'd make a good ambassador.

"I must insist we run you all through a virus scan. Hub has high security requirements. If you'll come with me, I'll see to it." Tera gestured to the lot of them to follow and deigned to walk beside AndrAIa.

Bob placed himself between Matrix and Tera's back, knowing that even if Gun was out of commission, Matrix's fists were not. He was behaving, even if his jaw was a little tight. Bob was surprised when Dot took the place next to him and allowed Enzo to look around a little.

"This place is huge," Bob observed. The Supercomputer was larger of course, but the immensity of this system – presumably just a city like Mainframe – was stifling.

"Well, Hub is, to be fair, a combination of several systems. The computers were joined many cycles ago to increase the data storage capabilities, and our User is good enough to continue updating us and providing us with new software." Tera's condescension had lowered a little, and Bob studied him more closely as he spoke. He seemed intelligent, educated. His face had no Web scarring and he carried himself with assurance. His powerful system had likely never come up against a viral threat that could do any damage. "We are not the largest of systems, but we are a very unique place."

"I can see that." Bob was not being sarcastic; it was no doubt smaller than the Supercomputer's scope but as they passed through streets – Sprites and binomes alike glancing at them with some curiosity – he noticed new things that set this apart from Mainframe. The favored colors in clothing and buildings seemed to be whites and gold and some darker grays. He didn't see any binomes wearing white or gold though. Most wore silvery colors and a select few wore poorer quality dark gray cloth. Strange. Did they all shop at the same Download Store?

Tera seemed to be drifting imperceptibly closer to AndrAIa all the time until their hands almost bumped. Suddenly Enzo burst between them, pointing and saying, "What's that thing?" He'd grabbed AndrAIa's hand at Bob dared to glance back at Matrix. He seemed surprised but had smirked. Enzo, when Tera looked in disappointment, grinned back at them. He was wily enough to play the innocent kid.

"One of our scanners. They're located all over the city if you ever think you might have caught something and want to get it checked." Tera had stopped in front of something the size of a carwash on the corner. White screens were dropping, enclosing a sprite and some binomes in what looked like cubicles under the glistening roof that stretched far enough to fit perhaps ten people under it in the cubicles. The overhead started to hum. "The roof contains a scanner and the screens are to capture every pixel on record, and also for privacy. If the screens rise after the scan, there isn't an issue. If they don't and the individual has a bug, there will be a message displayed to the Sprite controlling the scan." He nodded at an individual standing off to the side at a small console, examining the screen. He had silvery armor on and a golden badge. Bob squinted and could just read it; _"Authority of Hub Security. Number sixty-two of Sweeper's Defense."_

_Wonder who "Sweeper" is? _Bob thought. Tera had mentioned him. The sprite saluted Tera, only his mouth visible under his dark visor and helmet.

One of the screen-cubes lifted, allowing the one binome out without a problem. He was dismissed by the wave of a hand and traipsed off, openly staring at the group. Enzo waved. "Hiya."

He scurried off faster, as if frightened. Enzo frowned and lowered his hand. "Huh. Did I say something wrong?"

The cubes around the sprite and the other binome beeped, and the armored sprite looked at the readout. "Sprite number seven thousand eight hundred twenty-two is registering positive for a moderate infection. It seems the data compiling her right arm is being rewritten into a Web Creature's head."

Bob's stomach turned. Tera frowned. "Lift the screen. Allow me to explain to her."

When the screen rose the girl that stepped out was metallic green and slender. She couldn't have been more than one-one, just a tad older than Enzo. Her arm was dull though, a chalky green. She had big yellow irises and a short crop of blond hair. Her lip trembled. "My dear, we're going to have to take you to the Viral Treatment Center. You'll get the best care and we'll set about getting the software necessary to remove the viral coding from your arm. You should be just fine in a matter of seconds." Tera seemed kinder and the girl relaxed. "Just step back in and allow us to put shielding around your arm so it can't spread anywhere."

She did as she was bade and came back out with a shining blue field humming around her bad arm. Enzo, who had not seen a sprite near his age in a while, waved at her too. "Hi, I'm Enzo. Do you guys have Circuit Racing here?" The excitement of a new system had pulled his attention from Mainframe, which, in Bob's processor, was not a bad thing. It might take time to get back.

The girl studied him and waited with the armored sprite until two more arrived to escort her to the Viral Treatment Center. She looked back once and Enzo crossed his arms. "Sheesh. Do I smell or something?"

"What's wrong with the binome?" Dot asked. She tried to read the screen over the sprite's shoulder but he gave her a look and she backed up.

"He has a moderate infection as well. His processor is the cause, and it causes him to repeat data over and over." He looked at Tera who nodded.

"It's one of the merchants as usual. Always bringing infections with them," he said coldly, all kindness dropping. Bob watched this warily.

"It sounds like a pretty standard problem. I could probably correct it with my Keytool. It just involves removing the coding error that's causing it."

"No. No Keytools. Do as the screen prompts you," Tera said, the last part directed at the other sprite. He saluted again and entered a command into the system. There was a soft noise and the screens rose. The binome – it had been a healthy-looking zero binome save for his babbling – was gone. Dot blinked.

"Did you have him sent to another treatment center?" she asked. Tera shook his head.

"Deletion. Standard procedure for binomes with moderate to severe infection. It prevents spreading and keeps our population stable."

He said this airily and then paused to look at everyone. Their faces had turned white and Enzo had literally fallen onto his behind, and Dot dragged him away from Tera with eyes like an animal, as if she were considering how best to tear out his jugular. "What?"

* * *

Hack and Slash were both very handy at carrying supplies, and for that Mouse was glad. She was no lightweight, but the idea of carrying masses of metal and tools when all the binomes needed tending was not a pleasant one. She was examining the awkward, flickering screen she'd patched together, wondering if it would really work. "It says my firewall will last five hours before it'll need more juice. But there might be patches, and Megabyte might find a way around it."

She sighed and Phong looked over it. "It will give us enough time to construct a stronghold. With all the binomes and the robots, we should have enough ingenuity and strength to put something together." He patted her arm. "You have done well, Mouse. Dot would surely agree."

"Thanks, sugar." She took out a scrap of paper, and pointed to dark marks on it. "We need to place the signals in three places to make a triangular firewall. I just don't have time for anything more. It'll cover most of Ghetty Prime including the dump so we have more supplies, but we'll have to watch for any dirty tricks around the machines that power the wall." She scratched her nose absently and made a face; a streak of dirt had rubbed across the bridge of her nose. Pearson's scrap metal worked as far as constructing and building went, but some of the pieces were ancient and filthy.

Even as ratty as Mouse felt, she looked at her inventions with pride. Three little boxes, each one covered in buttons and linked by a remote command to activate. The one good thing about Hexadecimal being gone was that there was no way she could blow up any more of Mouse's firewalls. It was hard to guard against transfinite power.

"All right. Hack, Slash?"

They had been about to leave again with another load of material. They stopped, dropping their items, making the ground vibrate with the shift in weight. She gave them a look and sighed. "Can I trust you two to take these to the precise coordinates I tell you?"

"Yes Ma'am," Hack said, saluting. Slash's torso drooped. "What's up with you?"

"If it were Dot, you'da said 'Yes Sir Ma'am.'" Hack seemed to have been socked in the stomach and sniffed.

"Y-Yeah. I miss that. It just ain't the same."

Mouse sensed another crying session coming up and tried to avert it. "Hey now, Dot wouldn't want y'all to cry. She'd want you to fight Megabyte and help out. We're going to try to get the others back as soon as we have some safety. The sooner we do this, the sooner we'll have everyone back."

Hack and Slash both seemed to recover slowly but straightened. "Right. Sorry. Just a little emotional right now," Hack said frankly, lifting one of the signal receptors. Slash took the other, and Mouse nodded, telling them both the locations.

"Now remember, stay with them until I activate the wall, and stay inside the parameters. We're going to make sure everyone's inside that we can. Phong, Welman, how have the messages gone?"

Welman slithered past her ankle. "Very well. We've managed to warn more binomes about the wall coming down. Those left outside will have to be incorporated in sections, but many have moved to Ghetty Prime. Only a few of Megabyte's soldiers have moved in; we don't think he knows about it."

"Either that or he doesn't care," Mouse said bluntly. "Anybody else think it's strange that he's been so quiet lately? He hasn't got on the vid windows to talk at all."

"It is odd, but I rather like not hearing him," Welman said. "We should take advantage of his apparent absence." He waved his tail end at a few binomes who rolled a little cart over, and with some difficulty and assistance Mouse got the last signal onto it. "I'll go with you. I can be a distraction at any rate."

"If you say so. Let's move this thing." She began to push and Welman followed at her heels, and the binomes helped her with nervous glances. No one knew when Megabyte would strike, and they didn't want to be taken by surprise.

* * *

Glory.

Megabyte, since his birth, had longed for glory. Order, notoriety, power. Perhaps it was because Hexadecimal had taken all the wildness of Gigabyte with her, but Megabyte hated not to know where things were going. He liked things to make sense.

He wanted to be in complete control. He wanted to be known. He wanted to be feared.

But if he deleted everything…no one would remember. Perhaps that was why he had started out to corrupt and conquer instead of the ordinary viral formatting.

There was no glory as a dead virus whose format was complete. All viruses, at the completion of their intended function, ended up deleted by either some sort of scan or the crash they caused.

Was that why he had always gone at an angle to his "function"? Instead of heading straight toward his purposeful destruction, it was as if he sidled along diagonally, close enough to be a virus but not following the route completely.

He'd never questioned it before now.

But now, all there was to do was stare at the binomes trembling in front of him until they dulled and became pale and stupid and were shunted off to factories. It didn't keep him busy or entertained.

There wasn't the exciting thrill that Bob might blow his way in and give him a challenge.

There was no possibility that Matrix would attempt to best his new, strong form in combat.

There would be no brilliant Dot Matrix plan to throw a wrench in his ideas.

There wasn't even the annoying little brat to mouth off at him.

…There was nothing. Mouse? Bah. As if she or Phong and the others were capable of anything alone. He was in the clear.

And Megabyte nearly wept for it.

The binome in front of him stared upward with terror, but Megabyte felt nothing for it. He lifted a hand and the thing flinched, but Megabyte simply heaved a sigh. "Oh…go on."

The single eye blinked as if she hadn't heard. "Leave. The door's over there. I'm not in the mood." He hit the nearest button on the newly constructed panel beside him. The door slid open and the binome jumped, looking between him and the opening. "Go on!" he barked. She sprinted out, and he thought he actually heard her thank him.

Dear User he was a mess.

"Mein Fuhrer? Did you just…let a binome go?" Herr Doktor dared to poke his head in through the open door. Megabyte waved him in and he approached slowly.

"I'm afraid I'm not feeling myself." Megabyte looked over Herr's head as the "good doctor" scurried over.

"You should have said something! I will get a scanner ready immediately! Perhaps you've infected so many so quickly that you've depleted your energy. Would you like me to fetch you a…what was it…quantum shake?"

"No, Herr Doktor. I don't need a scan or to access energy at the moment. Has…there been any sign of Bob and the others? Any Games at all?" Megabyte stood up, feeling idle and trapped by his own weary boredom.

"Ah…no. Nothing. Isn't it marvelous? Your plans are progressing and they are helpless, perhaps even nullified!" The bandaged fingers curled happily. Megabyte rolled his eyes.

"I don't suppose you have any news of Mouse then? Or Phong?"

The binome's lip curled. "Unfortunately I do. They have been constructing a firewall and they plan on activating it soon."

Megabyte turned toward him curiously. "Oh? How have they managed that?"

"Our forces have spotted Mouse, Hack and Slash placing the signals. It seems they've been using scrap metal and data from Pearson's Data Dump. Few binomes _seem _to have moved, but we think some have been slipping into Ghetty Prime without officially changing their residence numbers. It is illegal under your new regime, correct?"

"Hm. Interesting." Megabyte sat down again and gave Herr a thoughtful look. "All right, issue an order to my soldiers then."

He received a salute. "Of course, Mein Fuhrer."

"…Tell _one _group to go out. No more."

The doctor's eye widened and his mouth fell open. "…Mein…but…why?"

Megabyte bristled and his claws creaked as he lowered his chin aggressively. "What was that?"

"I…but it seems…and we…" he continued feebly. Megabyte's eyes bored into his and he was silent.

"Do not ask me that again. I can do what I please, and I have no need to explain to any of you why I do what I do. It is my decision…my plan." He hit the button and crossed his legs. "Go. Tell them. Get out of my quarters."

Herr Doktor fled and Megabyte opened a vid window to look over Ghetty Prime. "Perhaps you can entertain me yet Mouse. Try to make this interesting. This is the only mercy you'll get; make sure I don't get bored again."

If she failed to entertain him, Megabyte would crush all of Ghetty Prime. But he was willing to give this one favor if it meant he might have a Hunt and a few good battles after all.

What else was there to live for, other than to find a path to the Net, and to play this same story out a thousand times?

* * *

"You're lucky I'm tolerant enough to have one of the Sweepers scan you personally instead of using our perfectly decent public scanners."

Tera scowled when Matrix's eye started glowing and Frisket snarled. Dot warily stepped between the two, eyes darting back and forth. "I mean really, you act like you've never seen a deletion before."

Bob was furious, cheeks darkening to purple. He had held his tongue for a second but he'd apparently reached his limit; Matrix had bellowed, Frisket had bayed, Tera had barked back at Matrix, and AndrAIa held Enzo's hand and attempted to distract him as the argument spiraled.

Now things were deathly silent. Nobody spoke to Tera, and they all had refused to be scanned.

AndrAIa's body had gone numb when she realized the binome was gone. To delete someone like that…she'd never seen that in any kind of system. But if she lost it, the fragile rapport she'd been building with Tera would be shattered. So she looked at him and asked, quietly, "Why _was _he deleted? His issue was no greater than the sprite's. You sent her for treatment."

Tera turned his dark, gleaming eyes on her and seemed a little less defensive. "Hub is an enormous place. There are too many people to treat every single viral infection that comes along. Also, there's an intrinsic difference between the complexity of sprites and binomes."

He spoke to all of them now, although AndrAIa knew he was only trying to answer her. "Binomes are much more easily infected due to their simpler nature, and viruses transfer between them more quickly than they do between sprites. Being more complex, sprites take longer to deteriorate, giving them more time to be mended." He nodded at a door sprite that stood beside a glassy, elegant door and the person tipped their cap. AndrAIa followed him, still holding Enzo's hand. She glanced down at him; instead of being fascinated with wonder at the metallic, glistening tile interior of the lobby, Enzo stared vaguely forward, eyes still wide. If she were attentive she probably would have enjoyed the room's watery, classical theme. But as it was, AndrAIa pressed her palm firmly between Enzo's shoulder blades and rubbed the back of his neck with her thumb. He tucked against her hip safely and she forced herself to pay attention to Tera.

"If binomes – or sprites even – were allowed to wander around infected, Hub could be seriously damaged by the infections. Besides, the User feels the same way. He has our system set to delete old data that no longer has a relevant use for Hub. That's the only way we've had space for so long." Tera shrugged. "And…let's be frank. He was a _binome_. How important could his function be?"

Bob's face flushed violet, and AndrAIa could hear his heart pounding. Even so, Dot – whose heart was also racing in fury – took his shoulder and they managed not to sock Tera in his arrogant face.

"So it's considered normal to delete people if they're not complex? Even if it's something that could be treated?"

It just didn't seem real. It was as if that binome couldn't just be _gone_. Tera sighed, and AndrAIa caught sight of something almost sad.

"If they were sprites we'd try harder to help. They often have more complicated functions to fill. But there are so many people in Hub and there is too much else to worry about. There's no risk of infection this way. If your system were larger, you would understand."

He stopped. "Here we are. Please allow this sprite to do a full body scan."

He was a tall sprite with pale gray skin and dark silver hair. He had a shining jumpsuit on, and his eyes too were black where the whites should be, but his irises and pupils seemed black as well. It was like one dark, liquid eyeball. He stood in the middle of a large, round room, waiting for those needing scans presumably. Enzo shrank back and AndrAIa gave Tera a cold look. "Swear to us that even if we're infected, you won't delete us."

"Especially considering it's your fault we're stuck here because you won't just send us back," Dot added.

"And breach protocol for some backwater sprites? I think not," Tera spat at her. Then, looking at AndrAIa, he cleared his throat embarrassedly. "Excluding present company of course."

She just looked at him. He sighed and said, "All right. None of you will be deleted if the infections are even remotely treatable. And I will see about getting you moved up the queue."

Enzo looked up at AndrAIa and said, "I'll go first. I don't want anyone else to get deleted."

Before Dot could even protest, Matrix stepped forward, pushing Enzo's cap down over his eyes. "I don't think so." He stood in front of the tall sprite and crossed his arms, sizing him up. He was shorter than this figure but he was a lot broader. The sprite seemed unfazed, waving a hand. From his palm a glassy substance appeared, as if he were cleaning a window. They looked like fish scales, and he examined them.

"My scans indicate no viruses. He's clean." Closing his hand, the "scales" flew apart with a chime and one touched AndrAia's shoulder. It was pleasantly cool.

Less nervous by now, everyone gradually allowed him to scan them. He seemed kinder than Tera, voice airy and soft. He even patted Enzo's head when he gave him the all-clear. Trying to do the same with Frisket resulted in a growl.

AndrAIa went last, and she saw his mouth dip slightly at the corners when he scanned her. However he declared her clear and inclined his head politely. Tera, who had been leaning against the wall, stood up and said, "Thank you, Antiv. Perhaps now they'll be more cooperative."

"Perhaps." The liquid dark eyes slid to Bob, whose face was still set. "Would you like me to send a report to Sweeper himself? You'll need his clearance to send them through a portal."

"Sure. But I know he's backed up with cases at the moment. All of them are. Taking things out of order can get…hazardous."

Antiv nodded slowly. "Yes. I remember the last time."

AndrAIa looked at Tera curiously. "What happened?"

He didn't meet her eye. "We don't talk about it much. It was…tragic. I'll tell you another time. Antiv, I must see which residence is available for them. Look after them for a nanosecond."

"Yes, Gamer."

Enzo tugged Tera's sleeve. "What do you mean 'residence?'"

"Unless you want to live on the street while we try to get your request processed, you'll need a home. We can work out details of payment and occupation later."

Tera disappeared out the door and they found themselves in the quiet presence of Antiv in the white, tiled room. He almost immediately looked at AndrAIa. It was spooky. "You are a Game sprite."

"Yes. What about it?" she asked. He shook his head.

"It is curious is all. I would not spread that information around. People might get nervous. And don't tell Tera himself. Anything other than a plain sprite puts him on edge."

"I noticed." Bob stepped toward Antiv, who didn't back up. "Is he some kind of supremacist? He let a viral scan _delete _a binome without a qualm. Is that normal here?"

Antiv nodded and Bob seemed to deflate. "I…I thought maybe it was just him. This whole system…it deletes instead of mends, doesn't it?"

"You are a Guardian?" Antiv pointed to Glitch. "I see why that must be hard for you. Remember that it is Hub's way, and we have not known any other way for cycles upon cycles. Ever since the even Tera spoke of, we have been safe rather than sorry."

AndrAIa found that she liked Antiv. He spoke honestly, which was a little weird. Why would he tell them anything? Wasn't he one of the people scanning and deleting? "What was this event? We've had a tendency to survive crazy events. I want to know why he can't just send us back home right now."

Antiv did not turn his head, and with his eyes dark like they were, it took a minute to realize he was looking at her. "I'm not permitted to speak to outsiders about it. It goes against my format. But if you would know more about it, ply Tera another time, or look up read-only files about events called 'The Chaos' and 'The Deletion.' They will prove enlightening."

Enzo dared to speak now, realizing that Antiv was passive if nothing else. "Your format? Aren't you a sprite?"

"Yes. But not technically. I was downloaded during an infection like many of Sweeper's soldiers, and my function is namely to delete viruses. Some consider me…less than a whole sprite."

That required no explanation.

"Tera will return soon. If you have any other questions, I would not recommend asking him. If you would like, I will volunteer to assist you. You would get more honest answers out of me." Antiv looked at each of them and Frisket cocked his head.

"…Why help us?" Bob asked finally. "Don't take this the wrong way but…you don't even know us."

"I like to help. I prefer mending over deleting if at all possible." As if Antiv thought he'd said too much, he closed his eyes and they recognized this as a sign of withdrawing from the conversation.

Dot tugged Bob away from him and asked, softly, "What do you think of him?"

"I don't know. I like him better than Tera," Bob replied. "I've never talked to an antiviral sprite, and I don't know much about them…"

"He's kinda weird. But nice weird." Enzo's voice carried and Dot shushed him. "Sorry."

The discussion stopped when Tera returned. "I've got some living accommodations for you. We might be able to get your request processed and fulfilled in two hundred hours."

It was still far too long but AndrAIa smiled. "Thank you. We appreciate your help." Matrix gave her a look and she returned it warningly. To be civil and friendly might be the only way to get him on their side, and if he was truly important as he claimed, he could come in handy. AndrAIa did not like to think of herself as manipulative, but Mainframe needed them.

If someone didn't listen to reason, emotion was another method. Tera seemed gratified by this and AndrAIa then asked, "Would you kind enough to show us where we'll be staying while we wait? And perhaps you would explain a little more about Hub?"

"Of course. Anything for you my dear." AndrAIa felt her stomach twist uncomfortably. Tera offered his arm.

And Enzo grabbed it, and then AndrAIa's arm too, holding each wrist in either hand, conspicuously apart. "All right! Lead the way." He gave AndrAIa a nervous smile and she was relieved to see that his shaking had subsided.

Tera looked disappointed. And AndrAIa could have sworn she saw pride on Matrix's face out of the corner of her eye.

* * *

"I'm ready when you are, Slash."

"And _I'm _ready when you are."

"I guess whenever Mouse and Nibbles – I mean, Welman – move the last one, we're really ready."

"I think that I am a little readier than you are, Slash."

"I disagree. I am just a little readier."

Mouse was about to scream into the junky communicators Phong and Welman had thrown together. One was attached to Welman's slimy back and he finally said, "Boys, you're equally ready. We need just a little more time."

Mouse looked down at him. "Thank you," she mouthed.

He nodded. There was silence until he straightened. "Tell me something Mouse."

"Yeah?" She was kind of out of breath, carrying the metal canister that contained their signal. Any talking at all was painful, as it was heavy and the straps attached to it cut into her shoulders.

"We must place the signal approximately fifteen bits in front of us, correct?"

"Yeah. Why?" Two words, ugh. All she wanted to do was set the signal, activate it and enter sleep mode, right there on the gray, dirty ground. They were between two crumbling skyscrapers now, and she could see the gleam of eyes as binomes watched in the wreckage. They lived there now, hoping for some kind of relative safety.

So no pressure.

"It would appear there are a few binomes in front of us, blocking our path." Welman continued slithering and she looked up, sparing a hand to swipe her sweaty hair out of her face. Four frightened viral binomes were quaking in the place they needed to set up.

"Hey, uh, there are some binomes here too!" Hack called.

"Yes, I am distracted as well," Slash said plainly.

Mouse let loose a volley of curses. Welman moved a little faster; the soldiers quaked even harder.

"I will handle them," he said quietly. "I can knock them out easily. Hack, Slash, just keep them away from the signals and be ready to set them off." He paused. "It's odd that Megabyte would send such a pitiful force to stop us…"

"Don't look a gift horse in the mouth, sugar." Mouse sat the canister on the ground stretched her shoulders and back. "Are you sure you can deal with all of them?"

Welman didn't answer, instead crawling over. The soldiers tried to back up, but Nulls could move quickly when they decided to. Mouse watched as one after the other passed out, stunned and drained by Welman's touch.

"I feel bad for them. Megabyte might punish them for failure." Welman drew up like a cobra, looking around. "Might we enclose them with us and try to rehabilitate them?"

"I don't think so. They might turn off the signals. Besides, they've thrown their lot in with him." Mouse did not feel particularly merciful toward them, pathetic as they were. She did take care not to kick them as she slid them away from the site. She situated the canister and Welman turned his head-end to the communicator attached to his back.

"All right boys. Get ready. They have to be activated together."

"Of course!" Hack said. "How ridiculous do you think we are?" He was quiet for a moment.

Welman sighed. "You don't remember how to activate it, do you?"

"Ah, no."

"That would be a negative," Slash continued.

"The signals, being activated by energizing the light cells and heating them to intense levels, requires the turning of two switches, at approximately ninety degrees to the…"

Welman trailed off when Mouse put her hands on her hips. "Okay. I put labels on them. Just pull the switches on the side with your names written above them all the way up."

"Oh, that's right. I can do that," Slash said. Hack made a sound of agreement and Mouse took the signal out. It was cone-shaped, awkward and a little filthy. But she saw the switch and her fingers itched as the robots followed suit.

"All right boys. On three."

"Wait, does that mean as you say three or right after you say-?"

Her temper flared and she managed, "Right after," through her teeth.

Hack and Slash were sweet, and they were a great force for fighting. But…they really needed some upgraded intelligence chips.

"Okay, one. Two. Three!" She flung the switch up and the cells on the top of the cone flared white. She ducked hastily back, Welman following her. Panels along the side of the machine opened and the light turned bright red.

A beam shot straight up into the air, high like a star and just as hot. From it and the panels that had opened a flat, broad surface exploded, heading straight for the next signal. It would form the wall, translucent and red. She lowered herself to the communicator. "Hack, Slash, make sure you're inside the wall and out of the way of the beam! It'll turn you to scrap."

It took a few nanoseconds, but the beam approached from the other direction, rejoining this one. She looked up at the high walls and tried to memorize the blue shade of the sky – light, soft, cloudy – before the redness came over the top as well, enclosing them completely in Ghetty Prime.

That was that. The wall was up. Daring to put her finger near it, Mouse sighed. It could burn from a whole unit away. For a few hour at least they were safe from Megabyte.

"Let's head back. I'm exhausted."

Welman slid alongside her. "I think this is the beginning of us turning the tide, Mouse. I really do."

She wished she had his confidence. But now that the adrenaline had worn off, the only thing left was the buzz of tiredness, and the desire to back to Pearson's to sleep before getting up to work on the new Tor.

_I hope you guys are all right, Dot. Come back soon…or there might not be a Mainframe worth coming back to._


End file.
